Portland Woman Sues ICE Agent Over Alleged Unprovoked Point-Blank Pepper Spray Attack
PORTLAND, Ore. — A young woman is suing an ICE agent for spraying her ‘point blank’ in the face with pepper spray while she was standing on the pavement outside the immigration detention center in South Portland on October 2, 2025.
The lawsuit alleges that Milla Leilani Payne, who was then 19, was pepper-sprayed in an unprovoked attack after complaining about the treatment of a protester outside the ICE building.
- Oct. 2, 2025: Payne is allegedly sprayed outside Portland ICE facility.
- Afterward: Her legal team says medical help was needed.
- June 5, 2026: Payne files suit in federal court.
- Filing: The case names the United States as defendant.
- Next: The civil case moves through federal court.
She Was Screaming in Agony and an Ambulance Had to be Summoned
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Portland yesterday, and according to her legal counsel, an ambulance had to be summoned for Payne, who was screaming in agony and unable to eat or drink normally for several days after the attack because of irritation to her throat and stomach.
This is one of several similar lawsuits that have been lodged against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents since President Donald Trump focused on the mass removal of illegal immigrants living in the U.S.