MEDIA ADVISORY
February 20, 2026
Eugene, OR

Contact:  Lauren Regan, Director and Senior Staff Attorney ​​​​​​
info@cldc.org/ 541.687.9180

FEDERAL COURT ENJOINS FEDERAL AGENTS FROM ENFORCING UNCONSTITUTIONAL REGULATION AGAINST ICE-OUT PROTESTORS

On February 20, 2026, Oregon Federal District Court Judge Ann Aiken strongly ruled in favor of two local activists who have challenged the constitutionality of new federal regulations that have resulted in numerous arrests of local residents exercising first amendment rights against ICE and government policies upon traditional free speech areas such as sidewalks and the Eugene Free Speech Plaza.

The Court heard legal arguments today in the case of Chloe Longworth and Anna Lardner (represented by Civil Liberties Defense Center) vs. Trump, Noem and Department of Homeland Security, on Plaintiffs motion for a Preliminary Injunction.  The Injunction forbids the federal government from enforcing 6 C.F.R. § 139.35(c), “Creating a loud or unusual noise, noxious odor, or other nuisance,” because it violates Plaintiffs’ right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment and has the effect of chilling their speech and the speech of others similarly situated.  In granting this preliminary injunction the Court ruled that Plaintiffs have a likelihood of success on the merits of the case (we are likely to be correct that this regulation is unconstitutional), plaintiffs and others have and will continue to suffer irreparable harm from the chilling violations of their constitutional rights, and it is in the public interest to restrain the actions of the federal government in this way.

After the court ruling, plaintiff Anna Lardner said, “Federal forces across the country have been increasingly violent and repressive towards activists. Armed federal agents try to punish and brutalize those who speak out, and in doing so, also intimidate others from exercising their First Amendment rights. Today’s preliminary injunction ensures that people who want to speak out against the civil rights abuses of this regime can do so with less fear of violence and arrest for protected free speech activities.”

The case will now move into the discovery and merits stage of the litigation.  When plaintiffs prevail at that stage, the injunction will become permanent and the regulation will not be able to be used by the government nationwide.

Plaintiffs are represented by Civil Liberties Defense Center, with CLDC attorneys Lauren Regan and Marianne Dugan as counsel.

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