ST. HELENS, Ore. — Rural Organizing Project (ROP) today announced a settlement agreement that updates jail policies to ensure compliance with Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act. The settlement establishes new or modified procedures for booking, release, and federal custody requests at the Columbia County Jail.
“This agreement is a victory for community safety,” said Martha Ortega, Director of Immigrant Centers at Rural Organizing Project. “The purpose of Oregon’s sanctuary law is to make sure everyone can fully participate in our communities, regardless of where they were born or how they got here. When people become afraid to seek help, or are not treated fairly, that makes our entire community less safe. We will continue to hold jurisdictions accountable to Oregon’s sanctuary law as we work to create rural communities that are welcoming and inclusive for everyone.”
“Columbia County is a tight-knit community where neighbors look out for neighbors,” said Alexis Ferguson with Columbia County Coalition for Human Dignity. “Everyone in Oregon has the right to live with safety and dignity, without fear of being separated from their family or targeted because of where they were born. We expect our local government to respect the law and treat everyone fairly, and we will continue to hold them to that.”
“This settlement is a step in the right direction,” said Grace Badik, attorney at Oregon Law Center, who represented ROP. “Columbia County is setting a positive example by taking concrete actions to uphold the law and protect the safety and civil rights of all community members.”
The settlement establishes important changes to the jail’s policies.
- The county will stop requiring individuals to declare their country of birth and remove a checkbox labeled “illegal” from the booking sheet.
- The county will translate the voluntary consular notification warning into Spanish and allow individuals to refuse to complete this form.
- The county will not reincarcerate individuals who have been ordered to be released.
- The county will not hold individuals for the U.S. Marshals if they are only facing federal immigration charges.
- The county will provide written notice to ROP of any future changes to the policies.
- The county will train jail staff and Sheriffs on the updated policies within 90 days and on an annual basis.
Oregon’s sanctuary law—the oldest in the nation—was passed with bipartisan support in 1987 and prohibits state and local governments from using their staff, facilities, or other resources to assist with federal immigration enforcement. Voters overwhelmingly reaffirmed their support for the law in 2018, and the Legislature strengthened the law in 2021. ROP advocated for the 2021 updates to Oregon’s sanctuary law and has been deeply involved in monitoring its implementation. The 2021 update to the law explicitly prohibits local jails from contracting with federal authorities to detain individuals whose only alleged violations are related to immigration status.
Rural Organizing Project is a statewide nonprofit that works to build rural communities that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone.
The Columbia County Coalition for Human Dignity is a Columbia County-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing the rights and dignity of all residents of Columbia County.
Rural Organizing Project is represented by the Oregon Law Center, a statewide nonprofit legal organization with 11 offices around the state that provides free legal aid to people struggling to make ends meet. Oregon Law Center also represents the plaintiffs in the Multnomah County sanctuary law case.
Community members who believe a public agency may be violating Oregon’s sanctuary law can contact the Oregon Department of Justice Sanctuary Promise Act Hotline at 1-844-924-7829 or submit a complaint online at www.doj.state.or.us/sanctuary.
