A federal judge has blocked the deportation of a transgender asylum seeker who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a court appearance in Portland, Oregon. The woman, identified as O.J.M. in court documents, had fled Mexico after suffering brutal gender-based violence at the hands of a cartel, only to be arrested by ICE agents while attending her scheduled hearing.
Following her arrest, O.J.M. was transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. Her legal team soon filed a habeas petition, stating they were unable to contact her or confirm her whereabouts for days after her detention. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio responded by issuing an emergency order halting any removal proceedings until ICE provides full details of her transfer and detention.
Judge Baggio’s ruling expressed concern over the lack of transparency and communication, calling ICE’s conduct alarming given O.J.M.’s asylum claim and her vulnerability as a transgender woman in immigration custody. The court ordered ICE to disclose whether a deportation was planned and explain the decision to transfer her across state lines with little to no legal notice.
Basic Rights Oregon, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, sharply criticized the arrest and detention. “Trans folks are often asylum seekers, and many have endured grave harm in their country of origin due to gender identity or sexual orientation,” the organization said in a public statement. “It is outrageous that ICE would come to Oregon and target a trans woman who is guilty only of seeking a safe and affirming place to live. Courthouse arrests destroy the integrity of our justice system.”
The advocacy group also highlighted the heightened risks faced by transgender people in immigration detention, including physical and sexual assault, denial of gender-affirming medical care, and solitary confinement often used under the guise of “protective custody.”
Despite Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state, federal agents detained O.J.M. inside a state courthouse, raising fresh concerns about ICE operations overriding local policies. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson reaffirmed the city’s commitment to being a sanctuary city but acknowledged that federal authorities operate under separate jurisdiction. “Our policies do not interfere with lawful federal operations,” he said, “but we remain committed to protecting the most vulnerable among us.”
O.J.M.’s legal team argues that her sudden detention and transfer have severely undermined her right to due process, cutting off access to her attorneys and compromising her ability to present her asylum claim. ICE has dismissed her initial claim, but her attorneys say the decision was made without properly considering the full extent of the trauma and threats she faces if returned to Mexico.
“Transgender individuals seeking asylum are not threats—they are survivors,” said a spokesperson for Basic Rights Oregon. “Oregon is stronger because of immigrants and because of transgender people.”
As of now, O.J.M. remains in ICE custody in Tacoma, but the judge’s order has put a temporary hold on her deportation. Her legal team continues to push for her immediate release and a full review of her asylum case.
This case serves as yet another disturbing reminder of the danger and inhumanity trans asylum seekers face, not just abroad, but right here in the systems meant to protect them.
