Crowd Control Weapons

Report Finds ICE Misused Crowd Control Weapons Causing Severe Injuries

A new report by Physicians for Human Rights and the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley has documented 412 incidents of the misuse of crowd control weapons during anti-immigration demonstrations from June 2025 to May 2026. These incidents, which include the use of teargas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets, resulted in 203 confirmed injuries such as blindness and traumatic brain injuries, with the actual number of harmed individuals likely being much higher. Federal immigration officials were responsible for over half of these misuse cases, often coinciding with heightened enforcement operations. The report highlights a troubling pattern of excessive force that mirrors responses seen during previous mass protests.

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Appeals Court Lifts Restrictions on Crowd Control Weapons at Portland ICE Building

A federal appeals court has ruled that officers can use crowd control weapons outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland without restrictions, overturning lower court injunctions. The court found that lower judges “erred in handcuffing the government’s ability to counter” unlawful behavior, citing a “months-long siege of the ICE facility.” In a related case brought by residents of a nearby apartment complex, the court dismissed their lawsuit altogether, stating there is no constitutional right to be free from exposure to tear gas.

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