ICE Banned from Using Teargas and Projectiles on Protesters by Judge Ruling

A federal judge has issued a temporary order stopping US immigration officers from using tear gas and other projectile weapons against protesters in Portland. The ruling marks a significant legal blow to the federal government's enforcement tactics in the Pacific Northwest city, which has seen repeated demonstrations against the Trump administration's immigration policies.

US District Judge Michael Simon issued the restraining order late on Tuesday. The decision effectively bars officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from firing chemical irritants or impact munitions at peaceful demonstrators. The order specifically bans shooting at the head, neck, or torso unless the officer has a legal reason to use deadly force.

Strict Limits on Use of Force

The judge's ruling comes after a chaotic weekend outside the ICE building in Portland. During a large protest that included families and young children, federal agents fired tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets into the crowd. Local officials and witnesses stated that the gathering was peaceful before the federal agents deployed these weapons.

In his written opinion, Judge Simon was highly critical of the federal agency's conduct. He wrote that the violence used by the defendants was 'in no way isolated.' He went further, suggesting that the 'culture of the agency and its employees is to celebrate violent responses over fair and diplomatic ones.'

The temporary ban will remain in place for at least 14 days while the court considers further arguments.

Elderly Couple and Journalists Injured

The court order details several shocking incidents involving vulnerable citizens and members of the press. These accounts formed the basis of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon.

One of the most serious incidents involved an elderly couple, 83-year-old Vietnam War veteran Richard Eckman and his 84-year-old wife, Laurie Eckman. In October, the couple joined a peaceful march to the ICE building. According to court documents, federal officers fired chemical munitions into the crowd without warning.

Laurie Eckman was struck in the head by a pepper ball. The judge's opinion noted that she 'walked home soaked in blood.' She was later treated at a hospital emergency room for a concussion. Her husband, Richard, also had his walking frame hit by a munition.

The order also describes the treatment of Jack Dickinson, a protester well-known in the area for attending demonstrations wearing a chicken costume. The court found that federal officers pepper-sprayed him directly in the face twice. They also shot him in the back with 'less-lethal' rounds from a distance of about 4 to 6 metres. On one occasion, a tear gas canister set fire to his costume.

Journalists were also targeted. The ruling highlights the case of photojournalist Hugo Rios. Officers reportedly broke his camera and fired a tear gas canister at his feet, even though he was standing alone. He was then shot with pepper balls 20 times. Another video journalist, Mason Lake, was maced and shot in the groin.

Judge Simon wrote that federal agents must be stopped from 'gassing, shooting, hitting and arresting peaceful Portlanders and journalists willing to document federal abuses as if they are enemy combatants.'

Local Officials Demand ICE Departure

The ruling has intensified the dispute between local city leaders and the federal administration. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a furious statement following the weekend violence. He defended the protesters, stating they had broken no laws and posed no threat.

'To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,' Mayor Wilson wrote. He added a direct challenge to the officers involved: 'To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.'

A National Legal Battle

The lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security, its head Kristi Noem, and President Donald Trump as defendants. It argues that the use of force is a form of retaliation intended to silence free speech and stop people from exercising their First Amendment rights.

This case is part of a wider legal struggle across the United States. As the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement, protests have erupted in many major cities. However, the courts have not always ruled in favour of protesters.

Last month, a federal appeals court overturned a similar ban in Minnesota, allowing agents to use tear gas there. Another court in Chicago halted a ruling that had restricted riot-control weapons. These conflicting decisions suggest that the issue may eventually need to be settled by a higher court.

For now, however, the federal agents in Portland must holster their chemical weapons and projectile launchers when facing peaceful crowds.