Local officials in western Oregon are pushing back on expanded federal immigration enforcement as the Department of Homeland Security increases operations around Portland.
DHS has not indicated any change to its enforcement posture in Oregon. Agency officials have previously stated that immigration operations target individuals who violate federal law and that local sanctuary policies do not prevent ICE from carrying out its duties under federal authority.
The Trump administration increased federal law enforcement presence in the Portland area earlier this year, following months of unrest. In late September, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of federal personnel to the “war-ravaged” city, though U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut later blocked the effort in October.
Federal attempts to enforce the law are being thwarted, however, by local officials.
Washington County, located just west of Portland and home to roughly 600,000 residents, declared a state of emergency last week in response to the heightened federal presence. County leaders said the declaration opens $200,000 in emergency funding for community groups serving residents affected by immigration enforcement actions.
An immigration-rights group told Oregon Public Broadcasting that it has received about 100 calls a day from residents reporting enforcement activity and property damage. County Commissioner Nafisa Fai said that residents whose family members are detained by ICE may qualify for temporary relief from evictions or utility shut-offs.
In nearby Eugene, city officials announced an independent review of the police department after complaints that officers may have coordinated with federal immigration authorities. The Eugene Police Auditor’s office said it will conduct a “complete and thorough investigation” to determine whether the department followed Oregon’s sanctuary-state statutes.
Eugene Police Department spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin denied the allegations, saying the department “has nothing to do with immigration, nor with raids [Wednesday],” and that images circulating online did not show Eugene officers.
Several Oregon lawmakers criticized federal agents following an ICE operation in the area, describing what they called “violent detentions.” Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, and Senate Leader James Manning Jr., D-Eugene, issued a joint letter expressing concern and pledging to seek more information about the arrests. “Every Oregonian and every person in the United States, regardless of immigration status, is entitled to the full protections guaranteed by the Constitution,” the lawmakers said.
