A federal judge has ruled that U. S.
immigration officers conducted unlawful arrests after newly released bodycam footage showed agents smashing van windows and using facial recognition software to detain farm workers in Woodburn, Oregon, on October 30, 2025.
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The video evidence was disclosed in court during a class-action lawsuit challenging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest tactics and racial profiling.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that four of the seven detained occupants were later deported.
Bodycam Footage Reveals Aggressive Tactics
The bodycam footage, recorded at 5:30 a. m.
, captured agents commanding occupants in Spanish before instantly breaking the glass. "Bust it!
Bust it!" shouted an unnamed ICE officer.
An officer identified as JB testified that agents surveilled the apartment complex using an ICE mobile app called Elite, built by Palantir, to find potential targets.
JB noted that the team followed the van after finding the vehicle owner was potentially an unauthorized immigrant.
The officer stated they did not confirm the driver's identity before initiating the stop but suspected the multiple passenger pickups indicated potential illegal transport operations.
"You don't know if it's human trafficking or smuggling," testified JB.
The non-profit immigrant rights organization Innovation Law Lab, which represents a detained worker, stated the vehicle was simply carpooling to a job site.
Plaintiff's Rights Ignored
The lead plaintiff, a 45-year-old agricultural worker identified as MJMA, invoked her legal protections and instructed other passengers to remain silent while she contacted emergency services.
An officer identified as CM advised colleagues to take her into custody immediately due to her request for legal counsel.
"She wants to lawyer up. She doesn't want to identify herself, we'll just take her," said CM.
The recording showed CM ordering the plaintiff to terminate her emergency call before physically removing her from the vehicle.
The plaintiff later testified that the officer destroyed her mobile phone during the encounter.
"We gotta get them out. They're on the phone, making … calls and stuff," said CM.
The remaining passengers were forced onto the pavement in handcuffs while an older woman was held on a bench.
One agent openly mocked the group during the process. "What a lovely bunch of people!"
shouted an unnamed ICE officer.
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The video showed agents scanning a detained man's face for 12 seconds using a mobile device while shining a flashlight on him.
The software failed to find a match in the federal database. "Mobile Fortify couldn't find him," said an unnamed ICE officer.
An agent identified as DR admitted during cross-examination that he lacked knowledge regarding the technical components or accuracy rates of the facial scanning application.
Another agent, identified as MK, testified that her scan of MJMA produced an uncertain match for a different individual.
"I wasn't sure if it was her or not," testified MK.
The software matched the plaintiff to a woman named Maria, causing agents to repeatedly call out the name to elicit a response.
MK testified she presumed the plaintiff was undocumented based on her exclusive use of Spanish and the potential software match.
U. S.
Magistrate Judge Mustafa Kasubhai issued a preliminary decision restricting Oregon ICE agents from making warrantless arrests.
Kasubhai stated that officers included false assertions in their reports, including claims that the stop was consensual and that MJMA lacked legal status, when she actually held a valid visa.
A DHS spokesperson stated that Mobile Fortify is a lawful tool developed under the Trump administration utilizing high matching thresholds against specific datasets.
The spokesperson added that federal officers utilize reasonable suspicion and probable cause supported by Supreme Court precedent.
Nelly Garcia Orjuela, an Innovation Law Lab staff attorney, stated that the footage demonstrated aggressive tactics that bypassed fundamental legal protections.
She noted that the plaintiff's assertion of rights provoked the forceful reaction from the agents.
"MJMA asserted her right to remain silent and was advising the other passengers in the car. The officers didn't like that.
It makes them do their job," said Garcia Orjuela. The legal representative emphasized that proper due process requires identifying targets prior to conducting an arrest.
Innovation Law Lab Executive Director Stephen Manning commended the plaintiff for her calm defense of legal protections during the encounter.
"She knew the law better than the agents. She asked them to follow the law, and they actually violated the law [in response].
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This never should have happened," said Manning.
