Oregon’s top law enforcement officer rolled out what she called bilingual “Sanctuary Promise Community Toolkit” to help residents refresh their knowledge of the Beaver State’s relevant laws.
“Every person has the right to live, work, play, and learn safely in Oregon, period,” Oregon Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement announcing the toolkit.
In 1987, Oregon lawmakers passed then-Rep. Rocky Barilla’s HB 2314 in response to several raids by INS – the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, which transformed into USCIS, DHS and ICE in 2003.
The law is largely considered the first “sanctuary state” policy in the country.
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Rosenblum explicitly acknowledged Oregon’s place in that regard, noting the law prohibits state and local law enforcement resources from being used to apprehend suspects charged solely with being present in the U.S. without papers.
A press release from the attorney general’s office noted Barilla’s bill passed “nearly unanimously” in 1987 but that by 2024, sanctuary laws have become an “intensely partisan issue.”
“I asked my Civil Rights Unit here at the Oregon DOJ to do whatever we could to provide the people, businesses, and local governments of our state with easy-to-read materials to help them know their rights and educate others, and I’m so pleased with what they’ve put together,” Rosenblum said in her statement.
In the toolkit, documents relating to the 1987 law’s passage are available for easy public consumption, along with a “conversation” with figures involved in getting the law passed.
The toolkit includes several FAQs, including “how do I prepare myself and my family for encounters with ICE or other federal immigration authorities?” – “Is there a place I can call to report ICE or other federal immigration authorities active right now in my community?” and “After an encounter with ICE or other federal immigration authorities, what information should I write down?”
Oregon also hosts a statewide “hotline” to report sanctuary law violations.
There are also links to press coverage, as well as a separate “law enforcement bias response” toolkit.
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Rosenblum said she also recommends Oregonians discuss the issue with family in the next few weeks to “know your rights… and make a plan for what to do if immigration officials come to your home or place of business.”
“Knowing your rights in advance is essential,” she said.
President-elect Trump tapped former ICE Director Thomas Homan as his “border czar” – succeeding Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Homan has pledged a no-holds-barred crackdown on immigration law violators and illegal immigrants.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek for comment.
