News Articles, Op-eds, and Letters

... Supporters of a controversial initiative to repeal Oregon’s sanctuary law appeared closer to qualifying for the November ballot.

ALBANY, Ore. – While many are calling for changes in how illegal immigrants are being treated as they cross the border, others in more rural parts of Oregon disagree. Several people in Albany, said people need to come into the United States legally and that current immigration laws should be enforced.

"I'm sad about the protests,” explained Judy, who asked KGW to only use her first name. “I'm all for immigration, but I want it to be legal and I think that we have laws on the books that need to be enforced.”

“My great grandparents were immigrants, they came through Ellis...

The title of a June 1, 2018 ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) news release, concisely highlights how insane sanctuary policies senselessly endanger public safety:

3-month review shows how New York City's failure to honor immigration detainers leads to hundreds of dangerous criminals released — Many of those released offended again.

Here are the first two paragraphs of this press release:

NEW YORK — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New York conducted a three-month review of detainers lodged...

Since 1987, Oregon Revised Statute 181A.820 has kept Oregon’s state and local law-enforcement agencies from offering their fullest cooperation to the U.S. authorities charged with identifying and detaining illegal aliens. In doing so, the law has effectively rendered Oregon a “sanctuary” state for foreigners here illegally.

Activists affiliated with Oregonians for Immigration Reform have filed Initiative Petition 22 with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division. IP 22’s goal: to place a measure onto the November 2018 statewide ballot that will give Oregonians the chance...

Supporters of illegal-immigrant sanctuary policies are notorious for employing emotion over logic. Matt Reed's commentary ("Providing sanctuary in schools isn't enough," May 25) is a spot-on example.

Reed, a teacher at Beaverton School District's Westview High, relates the story of a student's father detained for a violation of immigration law "by a federal government increasingly hostile toward immigrants." (As do many sanctuary advocates, Reed refers to people here illegally merely as "immigrants," a semantic sleight of hand designed to conflate legal with illegal immigrants and...

Many thanks to Louis H. Bowerman, whose recent letter ("Voters should rule on sanctuary cities," March 8) made an excellent point.

"I don't recall the citizens of this city or state voting on implementing 'sanctuary cities' or a 'sanctuary state,'" Bowerman. wrote. "Shouldn't voters have a say in this issue?"

This year, they do. Activists affiliated with Oregonians for Immigration Reform are working to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would repeal Oregon Revised Statute 181A.820. That statute, enacted in 1987, forbids Oregon's police and sheriffs from using...

Leaders of Los Alamitos, in Orange County, passed the ordinance 4-1 and instructed the city attorney to file an amicus brief in the ongoing Department of Justice lawsuit against the State of California. The lawsuit challenges the Immigrant Worker Protection Act (HB 450), the Inspection and Review of Facilities Housing Federal Detainees...