ACLU of Oregon Sues President Donald Trump to Block Travel Ban at PDX Airport

Rally against President Trump's travel ban on Jan. 30, 2017. (Gabriel Green)
By Aaron Mesh

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon has filed a federal lawsuit to block the enforcement of President Donald Trump's travel ban at Portland International Airport.

The lawsuit says at least one person, a Iranian man who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was detained at Portland International Airport on Sunday without being allowed to speak with a lawyer. It does not name the man.

Trump issued an executive order Jan. 27 blocking people from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States for 90 days, and halting the arrival of any refugees for 120 days.

Related: President Trump's travel ban shuts off the American dream. Here's who it hurts the most.

The travel ban has stranded hundreds, including at least 46 refugees who had booked flights to Oregon. (Two families bound for Portland were left stuck in a Ukrainian airport. Read about them here.) It drew immediate outcry as both illegal and immoral.

The lawsuit was jointly filed this afternoon by the ACLU and social-justice nonprofit Unite Oregon in U.S. District Court for Oregon. It was first reported by KGW-TV.

The suit asks a federal judge to issue an injunction blocking Trump's order from being further enforced at PDX.

Read the full lawsuit here.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.