A federal judge has ordered federal officers to stop deploying tear gas in ways that could affect residents living near an immigration enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon unless they face an imminent deadly threat.
Amy Baggio, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, issued the preliminary injunction Friday after residents complained about repeated exposure to chemical agents used during protests outside the local office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The ruling centers on the nearby Gray’s Landing Apartments, a 209-unit affordable housing complex across the street from the federal building. Twelve residents and the property manager, REACH Community Development, filed the lawsuit against the federal government.
Baggio wrote that federal officers showed “deliberate indifference” by repeatedly deploying chemical munitions despite complaints that the gas was drifting into homes and causing health problems for residents.
Under the order, federal officers are barred from using tear gas or similar chemical agents in amounts likely to reach the apartment complex unless it is necessary to respond to an imminent threat to life.
The lawsuit names several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Protective Service and the United States Secret Service.
Residents said chemical agents used during demonstrations against the immigration policies of Donald Trump have caused symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, rashes and breathing problems.
The injunction will remain in place while the lawsuit proceeds. Federal officials had asked the court to pause the order pending appeal, but the judge denied that request.
Leave a Comment