Protesters hold up signs as agents scan the crowd from the roof of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland on Jan. 31, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
Portland officials will continue to seek penalties against the owner of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building for violating a land use agreement.
On Friday morning, the city’s permitting department issued a letter upholding its September land use violation. That decision accused building owner Stuart Lindquist of violating a rule prohibiting ICE from holding detainees in its South Portland building overnight or for more than 12 hours.
The city pointed to federal records appearing to show that ICE broke this rule at least 25 times between Oct. 1, 2024 and July 27, 2025. The notice also said ICE violated the agreement by covering some of their windows with plywood.
Lindquist challenged this decision through his attorneys. In October, his legal team asked the city to reconsider the ruling, and accused city leaders of violating his constitutional rights by penalizing him for his choice of tenants.
A lone protester with a megaphone outside of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Ore., Oct. 1, 2025.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Friday’s decision dismisses his request.
“It has been determined the [violation] was not issued in error,” wrote Elizabeth Benton, a manager with the city’s permitting department, in the letter.
Lindquist has 30 days to “correct the violation.” According to the permitting department, that would require Lindquist to share data with the city about how long people are currently being held in the facility.
If that information isn’t shared or violations continue, the city will fine Lindquist $934 each month going forward until corrections are made.
Lindquist has 10 days to appeal the city’s ruling. That request will be considered by the city’s hearings office, where it could be appealed to Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Neither Lindquist nor his attorneys immediately responded to OPB’s request for comment.
The ICE building has become a focal point for protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies for months.
The decision comes as tenants living near the facility take the federal government to court over federal officers’ heavy-handed use of chemical munitions in the neighborhood. It also follows months of pressure from activists who have urged the city to swiftly shut down ICE’s operations in Portland.
Customs and Border Protection agents stand outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 4.
Jenny Kane
In a statement, City Administrator Raymond Lee asked the public for patience in the process.
“As we continue with this land‑use case, it’s essential that we allow the established process to unfold as intended,” Lee said. “Each step in the review is part of a framework designed to ensure outcomes that are grounded in evidence, consistent with City code, and defensible over time.”
