Marion County is enlisting the support of other local governments as it seeks to clarify its obligations under Oregon’s sanctuary law.
The county has asked others to sign onto a letter in support of litigation it filed last month against the state of Oregon and the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit asks a federal court to determine whether Marion County should follow state or federal law when it comes to immigration enforcement.
“Legal uncertainty harms everyone and benefits no one,” the two paragraph letter states. As of Wednesday it was signed by 12 other counties, with more expected to join.
Oregon is the oldest sanctuary state in the country. The original law, enacted in 1987, prohibits using local resources from enforcing federal immigration laws and was strengthened by state lawmakers in 2021. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice has threatened to cut off federal funds and impose criminal penalties for those who don’t comply with the administration’s immigration enforcement priorities…