Recent developments in the United States highlight escalating tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local communities, particularly in Portland, Oregon, and New Jersey. According to The Frontier Post, a federal judge in Oregon, Michael Simon, issued a temporary restraining order limiting the use of tear gas and projectile munitions by federal officers at protests outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland. This decision came after agents deployed tear gas on a crowd that included children, described by local officials as 'peaceful.' Judge Simon emphasized the importance of free speech and nonviolent protest in a 'well-functioning constitutional democratic republic,' noting that the nation 'is now at a crossroads.' This order is set to last for 14 days, during which time officers are restricted from using such force unless 'legally justified in using deadly force.' The Guardian corroborates this account, adding that the protests have been ongoing since last year and have been met with increasing force by the Trump administration.