Oregon declines federal misconduct probes amid surge in immigration arrests

The Oregon Department of Justice has declined to launch criminal investigations into six reports of alleged misconduct by federal agents. These reports, submitted through a state oversight portal, included allegations of federal officers using excessive force and indiscriminately deploying tear gas against protesters at the Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility and near the Eugene Federal Building.

This decision comes amid a significant surge in federal immigration enforcement in the state. Data from the Deportation Data Project indicates that federal agents arrested more than 1,800 people in Oregon in 2025, and over 700 people in the first eight months of 2026. These figures represent an eightfold increase compared to the final two years of the Biden administration.

In response to increased enforcement, Oregon lawmakers passed legislation in February aimed at expanding protections for immigrants, including restrictions on federal agents wearing masks and providing guidance to schools and hospitals regarding federal presence on campus.