Portlanders condemn latest delay of ICE facility land use violation enforcement

Portland, OR – On Friday, June 5, the Portland Hearings Office was to decide whether to uphold the land use violation for the Macadam Avenue ICE facility, but instead, a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge approved a stay order, delaying the ruling further. The violation decision was made May 22 and comes after the process has already been continually stalled, as the city has allowed landowner Stuart Lindquist multiple appeals and extensions. Activists demand an end to these undemocratic bureaucracies that give leniency to ICE and the landowners who lease to them.

Since the land use violation was originally issued in September 2025, both an administrative review and this delayed appeals hearing have taken place, with lengthy back and forth communication between Lindquist’s attorneys and the city. Lindquist and his legal team claim the city is biased against their client, when in fact, city officials have refused to enforce the fines for the land use violation or begin the revocation process for the land use permit.

Mayor Keith Wilson routinely calls Portland Police Bureau to attack and arrest anti-ICE protesters outside the ICE facility and at city hall, while allowing right-wing agitators to assault protesters without repercussions. It is clear where the city’s bias truly lies.

City Councilor Angelita Morillo, who has taken a strong stance against the revocation of the land use permit, posted on social media about the increased demand to shut down the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey. The re-post read, “The closure of Delaney Hall without the release of detainees is not a win. The closure of Delaney Hall but not getting ICE out of New Jersey is not a win. If detainees are transferred out of Jersey that’s not a win. Family separation and violence against detainees would continue.” Morillo also has a page on her website dedicated to why the city cannot and will not revoke the permit. “Progressive” councilors in Portland attempt to position themselves as committed to immigrant rights but fight the people’s movement and advocate against the closing of inhumane detention centers.

Portland Contra las Deportaciones, a grassroots immigrant rights organization, sent over a thousand emails to the mayor and city councilors asking to meet with them to discuss their plan to enforce the land use violation.

Activist Blaire Glennon said, “This decision to stay the hearing represents a delay of a democratically agreed on process, which further demonstrates that those with wealth like Stuart Lindquist can avoid accountability, while Trump and ICE are free to do as they please. It’s been nearly nine months since the land use violation was issued, and we are still fighting to see the city take action!”

DHS claims over 1200 people were detained out of Portland in the months of October to December alone. While the city was catering to ICE, Portlanders were suffering the real consequences of ICE’s home base in the SW Waterfront residential neighborhood. Immigrants have been targeted and terrorized, and residents near the ICE facility have endured countless nights of the release of chemical weapons, sometimes spanning multiple blocks.

The Multnomah County Circuit Court has set a hearing date of June 12.

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