Hugo Rios, a lifelong photographer who works as a freelance photojournalist, is a proud Puerto Rican, Afro-Indigenous, and queer disabled veteran, a parent of two and grandparent of four. Rios was documenting a largely peaceful anti-deportation protest near Portland's ICE building shortly before 10:30 p.m. on September 1, 2025, wearing a helmet, goggles, and a press label, wanting to get footage of what agents were doing out to the public. According to the lawsuit, an officer pushed Rios from behind without warning, and when Rios said they were just filming, an officer shoved them back about four times, striking and damaging their camera. About six minutes later, while Rios stood alone away from the crowd, an officer fired a tear gas canister at their feet, and multiple officers shot Rios with pepper balls and other munitions nearly two dozen times, denting their battery pack. DHS did not respond to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker's request for comment. In November 2025, the ACLU of Oregon sued on behalf of Rios and other plaintiffs; a judge granted a preliminary injunction on March 9, 2026, which a federal appeals court paused on April 27, 2026. Rios says the experience has discouraged them from documenting events at the building.