Portland Apartment Complex Takes Legal Action Against Neighbouring ICE Facility Over Tear Gas Exposure
Residents of an affordable housing complex in Portland, Oregon, have initiated legal proceedings against the Department of Homeland Security following months of exposure to tear gas deployed during protests at a neighbouring Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. The lawsuit alleges that federal agents' use of chemical munitions has created intolerable living conditions, forcing tenants to wear gas masks inside their own homes and prompting children to sleep in closets for protection.
Living in a War Zone: Residents Describe Daily Trauma
According to the legal complaint filed in December, the Gray's Landing apartment complex owned by REACH Community Development sits less than 100 feet from the ICE facility in Portland's South Waterfront neighbourhood. The 237 residents, including young children under five, people with disabilities, and military veterans, have endured what the lawsuit describes as "immense physical and psychological harm" since June 2025.
"Children living at Gray's Landing have become accustomed to weapons of war exploding outside of their homes," states the legal filing. "Kids sleep in closets to reduce exposure to gas penetrating gaps in their windows and teenagers have had to learn how to properly seal gas masks."
Health Impacts and Desperate Protective Measures
The residents report experiencing severe respiratory and neurological symptoms including:
- Difficulty breathing and unstoppable coughing
- Severe burning sensations in throats and eyes
- Persistent dizziness and headaches
- Symptoms lasting for days or weeks
- Some residents developing permanent health issues
In response to the ongoing chemical exposure, tenants have resorted to extreme protective measures including sealing windows and doors with tape, placing towels under doorways, and wearing gas masks indoors. The lawsuit describes these efforts as "often-futile" against the infiltration of tear gas and smoke into their living spaces.
Personal Accounts of Trauma and Disruption
The legal complaint includes harrowing personal testimonies from affected residents. Whitfield Taylor, one plaintiff named in the lawsuit, describes how his nine and seven-year-old daughters "are constantly unable to sleep due to the booming flashbangs that federal officers deployed outside their unit."
On nights when agents deploy chemical munitions, Taylor's daughters "have slept inside of the closet of [his] room, building a makeshift fort to feel protected," according to court documents. The children have suffered both physical symptoms and psychological trauma from the repeated exposure.
Another plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, is a domestic violence survivor with diagnosed PTSD. The lawsuit states that the tear gas deployments have "prompted episodes of PTSD" and describes one particularly severe incident where chemical agents filled her apartment, causing screaming, crying, and significant breathing difficulties.
Political Context and Community Response
The legal action follows what Portland Mayor Keith Wilson described as a "peaceful" weekend demonstration outside the ICE facility, during which federal agents deployed tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets against protesters including young children. Mayor Wilson has publicly called for ICE to leave the city, stating that "the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat and posed no danger" to federal agents.
In a strongly worded statement, the Mayor declared: "To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave. Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame."
Legal Remedies Sought
The residents are seeking a preliminary injunction that would prohibit federal agents from using tear gas likely to infiltrate their homes, with the only exception being situations where agents' lives are directly threatened. Additional plaintiffs have joined the lawsuit in recent weeks, aiming to end what they describe as "the shocking and unconstitutional poisoning of their bodies and homes."
The situation has drawn national attention to the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement operations in Portland, which former President Donald Trump previously described as "war-ravaged" during his administration's anti-immigration initiatives. The Department of Homeland Security has been contacted for comment regarding the allegations.
