A U.S. federal judge in Oregon has temporarily curtailed Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics at protests near its Portland office, ruling that the agency may not deploy chemical or kinetic munitions against people who do not pose an imminent threat. Judge Michael H. Simon granted a 14-day temporary restraining order after plaintiffs — protesters and several journalists — demonstrated repeated use of tear gas, pepper balls and similar devices that harmed individuals who were not threatening officers.
The order forbids ICE and related law-enforcement personnel from using chemical agents or projectiles except when there is an immediate, clear danger to life or serious injury, and expressly prohibits aiming such weapons at a person’s head, neck or torso. The court emphasised that the restraining order does not prevent lawful arrests or the use of necessary force in genuine emergencies, but it narrows the circumstances in which nonlethal crowd-control tools may be deployed.
Portland has been a flashpoint for confrontations between federal agents and demonstrators since 2020, when deployments by the Department of Homeland Security drew sustained criticism for aggressive tactics and opaque command structures. The latest ruling echoes longstanding concerns about press freedom and public safety at demonstrations: journalists have repeatedly alleged being targeted or impeded while covering protests, and civil-society groups have argued that broad claims of authority allowed excessive and indiscriminate use of force.
The decision is limited in time and scope — it applies to the putative class identified in the suit and lasts 14 days — but it represents a judicial check on federal crowd-control practices. Expect swift litigation steps from the government, including possible appeals or motions for a preliminary injunction; irrespective of the next legal moves, the order underscores the judiciary’s willingness to demand factual proof that force was necessary and proportionate before allowing the continued use of certain tools against civilians and the press.