On Monday, United States District Judge Michael McShane issued a 14-day temporary restraining order blocking the federal government from deporting two University of Oregon students or having them transferred from the state, Oregon Live reported.
McShane began the hearing by requesting federal lawyers to present reasons why the students’ legal status had been removed.
“How is this occurring?” the judge asked. “There has to be some regulations for when it’s appropriate and not appropriate. What regulation is ICE following here?”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Conti, representing the Department of Homeland Security, responded he didn’t have time to gather evidence.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and an immigration law firm filed lawsuits against the Trump administration on behalf of the students: Aaron Ortega Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen pursuing a doctoral degree in rangeland ecology, and a 29-year-old British graduate student identified only as Jane Doe.