Oregon lawmakers aim to increase protections of immigrants

SALEM – Public bodies in Oregon would be prohibited from disclosing a person’s immigration status and details like addresses, except when required by law, under a bill filed Wednesday in the Legislature.

Teresa Alonso Leon, a Democrat from Woodburn, and Diego Hernandez, a Democrat from Portland filed the bill in the House as immigration enforcement increases under President Donald Trump. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have even gone into the Multnomah County Courthouse in Portland to detain people when they showed up for scheduled court appearances.

Under the bill, introduced on behalf of Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, the date, time or location of a person’s hearings or appointments that are not already public record cannot be disclosed by the public body. The bill said that, “except as required by state or federal law,” a public body may not disclose for the purpose of immigration enforcement, a person’s address, workplace or work schedule, school and contact information.

A public body would also be prohibited from inquiring about a person’s citizenship or immigration status except when determining benefit eligibility or as required by state or federal law.

Oregon state law and federal laws, however, clash when it comes to immigration.

Oregon created America’s first sanctuary state in 1987 with a law that prevents law enforcement from detaining people who are in the United States illegally but have not broken other laws. In February, Brown signed an executive order that said all state agencies must follow the 1987 statute.

A Republican lawmaker who advocates enforcement of America’s immigration laws said the state should comply with federal law.

“If you read federal law, it says not only is it illegal to be in the country without authorization and if you’re caught you have to go back, but it is also illegal to harbor someone,” Rep. Sal Esquivel, from the southwestern Oregon town of Medford, said in a phone interview.

Esquivel himself is of Latino heritage. His father came from Mexico City to America on the Bracero program, which authorized temporary workers to fill an agricultural labor shortage, in the 1940s. Esquivel’s father became a U.S. citizen after 14 years.

Esquivel said Brown is “protecting people of illegal status in the state, which is against the law. This is a country of laws and if we don’t adhere to the laws we won’t have a country left.”

Brown said Wednesday that “Oregon relies on a diverse workforce to support a growing economy, and we must ensure the civil rights of all Oregonians are protected and that the rule of law is respected.”

Hernandez, the Portland lawmaker, said that if the bill becomes law, “a school principal knows how they can protect the private information of students and their families.”

He said school administrators, county judges, and other public bodies are seeking guidance from the state on how to respond if ICE asks for information.

Rosenblum said “increasingly aggressive tactics by federal enforcement agencies” has caused fear and confusion about rights and responsibilities under the law.

“This bill is a way to help make sure our communities have clear guidance so they are in compliance with state and federal law,” Rosenblum said.

The bill is expected to be referred to the House Rules Committee and should be scheduled for a public hearing shortly, the Oregon House Democrats press office said.