by Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle
July 6, 2026
Federal immigration officials asked Oregon’s law enforcement agencies for support at least 329 times over the past year, marking a sharp rise in potential vulnerabilities in the state’s sanctuary protections.
Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission released the annual figures last week in collaboration with Oregon’s Department of Justice, which operates a hotline for Oregonians to report instances when law enforcement or public bodies in the state assist with immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
The data shows that federal immigration officials sought assistance from Oregon law enforcement 329 times between June 1, 2025 and May 31, marking a 246% increase over the prior year which recorded 95 instances of requested assistance.
The findings come as a Salem courthouse arrest in March by federal immigration agents overseen by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office without a judicial warrant appears to have violated the state’s 2021 sanctuary law.
The incident raised questions about whether Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has any authority to punish law enforcement agencies in the state or compel them to operate in a different manner. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Rayfield have signaled support for updating the state’s sanctuary laws to include stronger protections and enforcement, such as through empowering the attorney general to sue law enforcement agencies who violate sanctuary protections.
Oregon law enforcement agencies are allowed to release information under a court order or if it is public, such as release dates of adults in custody with the Oregon Department of Corrections. But state law otherwise directs them to ignore federal immigration authorities’ requests. The report notes at least two instances in the past year in which agencies offered federal authorities information under an administrative warrant signed by immigration officials rather than a warrant signed by a judge.
The report does not offer recommendations on how to prevent this from happening in the future.
“The ODOJ is committed to supporting individuals targeted in violations of Oregon’s sanctuary laws, as such targeting can result in the silencing and erasure of community members, the systematic removal of people from this country, dividing families, depriving people of safety and access to important state and local government programs and support, and undercutting opportunity and education,” the report reads.
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