Judge Limits Federal Agents' Tear Gas Use in Portland

A federal judge in Oregon, Michael Simon, issued a preliminary injunction placing new limits on federal agents' use of tear gas and other crowd-control munitions during protests outside the United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement building in Portland. The ruling came after a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, arguing that the United States===United States Department of Homeland Security's use of chemical munitions amounted to retaliation and chilled First Amendment rights. The injunction prohibits agents from using chemical or projectile munitions unless there is an imminent threat of physical harm and restricts targeting the head, neck, or torso. It also specifies that passive resistance, such as trespassing or refusing to move, does not justify the use of such force. This decision follows broader demonstrations against Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda and previous calls from Portland Mayor Keith Wilson for United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement to leave the city.