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Lawsuit accuses Oregon police department of illegally monitoring progressive activists

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Lawsuit accuses Oregon police department of illegally monitoring progressive activists


MEDFORD, Ore. — The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon is suing the city of Medford, saying its police department has been unlawfully monitoring progressive political activists who aren’t suspected of criminal activity.

City officials insisted they have not monitored the groups because of their views or constitutionally protected activities, but only to prepare for possible public safety impacts, such as traffic disruptions, conflicts between protesters and counter-protesters, and property damage.

In the early 1980s, after revelations that Portland police had routinely surveilled civil liberties, racial justice and other groups, the Oregon Legislature approved a law barring law enforcement agencies from collecting information about the political, religious or social views or activities of any individual or group unless it directly relates to a criminal investigation.

According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court, the Medford Police Department for several years has monitored the activities and social media accounts of people involved in an array of causes, including racial justice, LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, preventing drug overdoses, and providing services for unhoused people.

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The lawsuit is based on police emails and other documents first obtained through public records requests by the website info4publicuse.org.

It alleges that the police department broke the law by monitoring or infiltrating social media accounts or groups for information about protests, including Black Lives Matter demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020 and a “Bans off our bodies” demonstration around the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning the federal right to abortion in 2022.

“The Medford Police is blatantly disregarding a three-decades-old state law that prohibits this type of surveillance,” Kelly Simon, ACLU of Oregon legal director, said in a written statement. “Their doubling down is a bald display of impunity from those we trust to enforce the law.”

In an emailed statement Tuesday, Medford City Attorney Eric Mitton disputed that.

“The purpose of reviewing publicly-available information on social media channels is not to analyze or judge individuals’ political, religious, or social views, but to address legitimate police interests regarding public rallies and protests,” he wrote.

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Mitton’s email also included a statement from Medford Police Chief Justin Ivens, who said the department prioritizes community safety while upholding constitutional rights.

“We use publicly accessible information to plan and staff events impacting public safety,” Ivens said. “This ensures our ability to address potential safety concerns while safeguarding those exercising their constitutional right to free speech.”

Among the emails cited in the lawsuit were some showing that police monitored activists’ social media for information about the showing of a drive-in movie in conjunction with Juneteenth activities in 2020, amid broader demonstrations over Floyd’s death; about demonstrations concerning a COVID-19 outbreak at a local jail; and about any plans for protests related to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The lawsuit said public records showed police kept a “dossier” on the local nonprofit the Rogue Valley Pepper Shakers, which promotes LGBTQ+ and abortion rights, including screenshots of its Facebook page.

Other records included emails concerning Stabbin Wagon — an organization that advocates for and provides clean syringes, overdose reversal medication, and contraceptives to at-risk and unhoused residents — as well as public statements its founder Melissa Jones had made criticizing police raids on homeless encampments.

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The Pepper Shakers, Stabbin Wagon and Jones are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

“Instead of investigating real safety threats, the Medford Police are wasting resources spying on someone like me who’s just trying to care for my neighbors,” Jones said in a statement released by the ACLU.



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Kentucky showing interest in Oregon forward Kwame Evans Jr.

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Kentucky showing interest in Oregon forward Kwame Evans Jr.


With the transfer portal officially open, Kentucky Basketball continues to show interest in multiple players.

According to Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Kentucky has shown early interest in Oregon junior forward Kwame Evans Jr., a versatile frontcourt player coming off a strong season with the Ducks.

Evans, who has spent all three of his collegiate seasons at Oregon, is coming off a productive junior campaign. He averaged 13.3 points (45.4% shooting from the field and 30.4% from deep), 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, while recording four double-doubles.

Despite the reported interest, Polacheck also notes that Kentucky has not yet scheduled a Zoom meeting or an official campus visit with Evans. However, there is familiarity between the two sides. Kentucky was involved in Evans’ recruitment during his high school process under former head coach John Calipari.

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In addition to exploring transfer options, Evans is also expected to test the NBA Draft waters, leaving his future uncertain for now.

As the portal window opens and roster movement intensifies, Kentucky appears to be actively evaluating its options in hopes of strengthening its lineup for next season.



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Oregon DOJ probe into sanctuary law compliance at Salem courthouse faces legal hurdles – Salem Reporter

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Oregon DOJ probe into sanctuary law compliance at Salem courthouse faces legal hurdles – Salem Reporter


A high-profile late March arrest by federal immigration agents at a courthouse in Marion County appears to have violated the state’s sanctuary law, but it’s unclear whether an inquiry into the incident from the Oregon Department of Justice will result in any significant action.

The review from state attorneys came in response to federal immigration agents at Salem’s Marion County Circuit Court receiving some assistance from local authorities during two arrests on March 26. Video depicting those arrests shows one instance of a member of the sheriff’s office walking around federal agents pushing a man to the ground inside the courthouse.

“The Oregon Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Unit received a report about federal immigration officials entering the Marion County Courthouse,” Jenny Hansson, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice, said in a statement Monday. “The CRU contacted the sheriff’s office regarding the incident and were advised that ICE agents presented a judicial warrant for a specific individual.”

But although one of the arrests in Salem involved a man for whom federal agents obtained a judicial warrant, federal immigration authorities relied on an administrative warrant to arrest one man shown in the video. The difference between judicial warrants, signed by judges, and administrative warrants, signed by immigration officers, is key in Oregon’s longstanding sanctuary law. Guidelines from Oregon Chief Justice Meagan Flynn in summer 2025 also echo the state’s 2021 sanctuary law and prohibit “civil arrests in or around court facilities without a judicial warrant or judicial order.” 

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The sanctuary law, first passed in the 1980s and expanded in 2021, prohibits using state and local law enforcement resources to assist with immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. 

Oregon law doesn’t permit local or state law enforcement to assist with immigration arrests through administrative warrants. A federal judge in February dismissed a lawsuit from Marion County officials claiming that the law forced local governments to decide between conflicting state and federal laws.

Hansson said she wasn’t able to respond to follow-up questions about the administrative arrest by Monday. 

“This is all we can really say at this time,” she wrote. 

There have been few publicly reported instances of immigration enforcement at Oregon courthouses, such as a July arrest by federal immigration agents outside Washington County Circuit Court. While the Trump administration argues that such arrests are necessary to allow agents to conduct safe operations, critics say the approach discourages witnesses, crime victims and survivors from participating in the legal system.

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While the Marion County Sheriff’s Office directly assisted in apprehending the individual with the judicial warrant, they took a more hands-off approach for the administrative warrant. 

A statement from the local law enforcement agency said that its officers escorted federal agents “through publicly accessible areas as they removed the disorderly arrestee from the courthouse to ensure there were no further disruptions to court operations.” A witness who spoke to the Salem Reporter, however, said they did not see the man “visibly resisting.”

Oregon lawmakers didn’t take up legislation during this year’s legislative session to further restrict civil arrests under immigration law at courthouses, deferring to existing state law that allows people to file civil suits against public agencies in the state which violate the sanctuary provisions. 

California passed a law during the first iteration of the Trump administration to empower arrested individuals to seek a writ of habeas corpus. That would allow a detainee to appear in person in front of a judge to determine whether their detention was justified.

A federal judge in November dismissed a lawsuit from the Trump administration challenging a New York law largely banning immigration-related courthouse arrests, though the case has since been appealed. 

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State lawmaker supports thorough investigation

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has maintained that its operations were conducted in accordance with state and federal law. An agency spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from the Capital Chronicle on Monday.

But following the March 26 arrest with the administrative warrant, the state’s Department of Justice told The Oregonian/OregonLive that it was reviewing the incident “to determine whether legal action is warranted.” 

It’s unclear what exactly could come from that inquiry. Although the case could be investigated for concerns of excessive force, the justice department’s own guidance suggests that enforcement of the sanctuary law rests upon individual Oregonians.

“Oregon DOJ can intervene in a non-punitive way with agencies subject to the law to improve compliance with sanctuary laws,” the civil rights unit’s sanctuary promise community toolkit reads. “The Oregon DOJ report can be subpoenaed for use if a community member or any person files for injunctive relief or otherwise pursues civil legal action/remedies against a violating agency.”

The only successful legal challenge brought under Oregon’s sanctuary laws since 2021 involved a lawsuit backed by the nonprofit Cottage Grove-based Rural Organizing Project. The organization helped win a court order in 2024 barring the city and its police from collaborating with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration law.

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But even if a report found that the Marion County Sheriff’s Office violated the state’s sanctuary law, it’s not guaranteed that the agency could be required to face sanctions from state court. The office hasn’t named the man whom federal immigration agents arrested, though they’ve said that he was facing charges of unlawful possession of cocaine and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

Tung Yin, a professor of law at Portland’s Lewis & Clark Law School, questioned how enforcement of the sanctuary law would work for a person who was arrested and eventually deported. He said that they “probably would not have a claim under state law.” 

“I highly doubt any public interest organizations would be able to sue on behalf of a removed person, even if there were a claim against federal officials,” Yin wrote in an email. “Standing in Oregon courts isn’t as stringent as in federal courts, but a generalized interest on behalf of the community probably won’t work.”

Rep. Willy Chotzen, a Portland Democrat who serves as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee, helped oversee the passage of immigrant rights bills attempting to restrict the conduct of federal agents in Oregon during this year’s short legislative session. He said he supports having a full investigation into the incident, adding that the video “shows something that is very alarming, and something that certainly looks like it would be a violation of our sanctuary laws.”

“We either need, as a state, to enforce the sanctuary laws or the individuals who are impacted and harmed, they need to have access to a lawyer,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “They need to have access to the court system in ways that I think we’re seeing the Trump administration actively trying to prevent people from having such access.”

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An unnamed spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department didn’t answer questions about the administrative arrest and instead responded to an inquiry with information about the criminal charges facing the man they had arrested with a judicial warrant. The spokesperson criticized elected officials who decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, saying they “are wasting law enforcement time, energy, and resources, while putting their own constituents in danger.”

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter.

STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].


Shaanth Kodialam Nanguneri is a reporter based in Salem, Oregon covering Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Legislature. He grew up in the Bay Area, California and went on to study at UCLA, reporting for the Daily Bruin until graduating in March 2025. Previously, he was a reporting intern covering criminal justice and health for CalMatters in Sacramento, California. He is always eager to tell stories that illuminate how complex and intricate policies from state government can help shape the lives of everyday Oregonians.

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Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for April 5

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The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 5 drawing

1PM: 0-8-0-2

4PM: 0-8-9-3

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7PM: 4-0-6-9

10PM: 4-9-8-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
  • Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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