Civil rights enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General and three local District Attorneys issued a formal demand letter to federal agencies, citing a pattern of excessive and unlawful force by DHS officers during immigration operations that endangered residents and other law enforcement, and threatening investigations and potential prosecutions if conduct does not change.
The letter demands DHS halt unlawful actions, improve training, coordinate with local law enforcement, investigate excessive-force complaints, and fully cooperate with state investigations. It serves as formal notice that Oregon officials will monitor federal conduct, investigate potential criminal behavior, and refer cases for prosecution.
In-house legal teams should review all intergovernmental agreements, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), and federal task force agreements between federal agencies (DHS/DOJ) and state/local law enforcement entities. Focus on clauses governing standards of conduct, use of force protocols, compliance with constitutional rights (particularly the Fourth Amendment), mandatory reporting requirements for use-of-force incidents, training obligations, and oversight mechanisms. Potential changes needed include inserting explicit prohibitions against excessive or reckless force, mandating de-escalation training, establishing independent review panels for incidents, clarifying termination rights for non-compliance, and requiring real-time data sharing with local partners to ensure accountability.
Entity
U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Justice
Also known as: Department of Homeland Security
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/ag-rayfield-and-local-district-attorneys-demand-dhs-end-unlawful-use-of-force/
11 24 25 Joint Letter to DHS DOJ
https://www.doj.state.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/11_24_25_Joint_Letter_to_DHS_DOJ.pdf
Oregon Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/
"The letter, sent to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem"
"details a months-long pattern of excessive force by DHS personnel — including incidents where federal officers used munitions that struck Portland Police Bureau officers and Oregon State Police officers, and tear-gas deployments that endangered residents and other law enforcement."
"The letter serves as formal notice that the Oregon Department of Justice and the three District Attorney’s Offices are actively monitoring federal conduct and will investigate any case where a federal officer appears to be acting outside the reasonable scope of their duties."
"the Supremacy Clause does not shield federal officers who exceed their lawful authority."
The provided press release is a media release from the Oregon Department of Justice announcing a multistate press conference of attorneys general from Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, and New York advocating for increased state resources to address antitrust enforcement gaps following reduced federal oversight. No privacy-related enforcement actions, violations, penalties, or remedies are described in the document.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield led a 24-state coalition in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s tariffs imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. Court of International Trade granted summary judgment to the states, ruling the tariffs illegal as they did not meet the statutory requirement of “large and serious balance-of-payment deficits.” The court invalidated the 10 percent tariffs on most global products, barring their enforcement.
Consumer protection and civil rights lawsuit filed by Oregon AG and 20 other states against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over unlawful funding conditions that coerce states into complying with policies unrelated to nutrition programs. The conditions relate to immigration, DEI, and gender identity, and are alleged to violate the Spending Clause and Administrative Procedure Act. The suit seeks to block these conditions to protect billions in funding for programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunches that serve vulnerable populations.
Health enforcement action: Attorney General Rayfield led a coalition of 22 states and D.C. to secure a federal court order blocking the Trump Administration from threatening to cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to healthcare providers that offer gender-affirming care to youth with gender dysphoria. The court ruled the administration's actions unlawful, protecting access to care and upholding the right to make personal healthcare decisions.
Antitrust enforcement action where Oregon AG filed a lawsuit to block the $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar and Tegna, alleging it violates Clayton Act Section 7 by substantially lessening competition in broadcasting, which could harm local news and raise consumer prices.
Environmental enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, along with a coalition of states and cities, filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's unlawful rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding on greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge argues that the rescission ignores scientific evidence and legal precedent, threatening public health and environmental protections.