A federal judge in Portland has temporarily blocked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from carrying out warrantless civil immigration arrests anywhere in Oregon. The emergency order, issued by U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut on Wednesday, follows allegations that federal agents had been detaining individuals without judicial approval or probable cause.

The injunction effectively reinstates a version of limitations similar to those previously ordered by another judge in 2019, after reports that ICE agents had conducted civil immigration arrests near courthouses and other public spaces without warrants. The ruling could have significant implications for immigration enforcement practices across the state, including in the Lower Columbia region and Cowlitz County, where ICE occasionally collaborates with local law enforcement agencies for enforcement actions.

Judge Immergut’s decision will remain in effect while the court considers a broader challenge from plaintiffs arguing that warrantless arrests violate constitutional and state protections against unreasonable seizures. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented publicly on the ruling.

The decision underscores a continuing legal tension between federal immigration enforcement powers and Oregon’s sanctuary policies, which prohibit local and state resources from being used to assist in enforcing immigration law without clear judicial authorization.

For residents in the Longview–Kelso area who commute to Oregon for work or have family members subject to immigration scrutiny, the order may offer temporary relief from the threat of sudden detention. Further hearings are expected to determine whether the injunction will be made permanent.

(Original source: KGW)