Oregon Republicans try to get sanctuary law bill out of committee to full House vote

SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon Republicans on Thursday tried to bring a bill changing Oregon's sanctuary law to the House floor.

The bill is currently stalled in committee.

A vote to pull it out of committee and to the House floor failed, however. The vote was not strictly along party lines, as nine Democrats sided with Republicans to bring the bill to the floor.

The bill allows local law enforcement to work with federal authorities to identify and remove undocumented immigrants convicted of violent crimes and Class-A misdemeanors.

“Our communities should not be sanctuaries for murderers, rapists, and other violent criminals. This bill is a common-sense policy that protects Oregonians by holding the most violent criminals accountable. But common sense isn’t very common in Oregon, as my bill never even got a hearing,” said Rep. Alek Skarlatos, R-Canyonville, in a press release.

Under current law, law enforcement officers cannot ask someone about their immigration status or get involved with federal immigration enforcement without a proper warrant.

Gov. Tina Kotek defended Oregon's sanctuary status last week, following an executive order from the Trump administration that directed the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to publish a list of sanctuary states, cities and counties. The order also empowers the agencies to pursue legal action against states and jurisdictions that aren’t complying with federal immigration law.

"The governor will not back down from a fight and believes these threats undermine our values and our right to govern ourselves,” Kotek’s office said in a statement last week. “Oregon will not be bullied to deport people or perform immigration enforcement.”