A federal judge in Oregon has issued an order to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from removing a transgender Mexican asylum seeker from a Washington detention facility. The 24-year-old woman, identified as O-J-M in court documents, was arrested outside a Portland courtroom on Monday and transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. The order was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio, a Biden appointee, who also required ICE to specify the exact time and reason for the removal. O-J-M’s legal team submitted a habeas petition, arguing that they had not been provided access to their client and that due process was not upheld. O-J-M fled Mexico after being threatened with violence due to her gender identity and sexual orientation, seeking asylum in the United States in September 2023. Her attorneys contend that ICE’s actions represent an attempt to circumvent legal procedures and expedite deportation. The case highlights the tensions between sanctuary city policies in Oregon and federal immigration enforcement, as the state has limited long-term detention facilities. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has stated the city’s unwavering commitment to its sanctuary policies, despite not obstructing lawful federal enforcement operations.