Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Judge Halts Warrantless Immigration Arrests in Oregon


(MENAFN) A federal court on Wednesday directed US immigration authorities in Oregon to cease arresting individuals without warrants unless there is an evident risk that the person might abscond.

The judge pointed to what he characterized as a recurring pattern of illegal enforcement conduct.

US District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai issued a preliminary injunction as part of a proposed class-action lawsuit contesting the Department of Homeland Security’s reliance on warrantless arrests during heightened immigration operations. A news agency reported that the legal challenge was filed by the nonprofit organization Innovation Law Lab.

As a result of the decision, Oregon is now the third jurisdiction — following Colorado and Washington, DC — where the Trump administration is prohibited from conducting immigration arrests without warrants unless officials first determine that the individual represents a flight risk.

According to the news agency, a comparable lawsuit is currently underway in Minnesota, while the federal government has filed appeals against the rulings issued in Colorado and Washington.

During court proceedings, the judge heard testimony indicating that immigration officers in Oregon detained people without warrants and failed to evaluate the probability of flight, despite internal directives from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that require such assessments.

One of the plaintiffs, Victor Cruz Gamez, testified that he was held for three weeks even though he possessed a valid work permit and had an active visa application, the news agency reported.

Another witness recounted an incident in which armed agents entered a bedroom during a raid while searching for an individual who did not reside at the location.

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