COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL FEBRUARY 8, 2017 9A
Local law enforcement addresses immigration confusion
CGPD cites existing Oregon law prohibiting round-up of undocumented residents
The nation-
al debate over
executive or-
ders and potential enforcement concerning ille-
gal immigration stretch into another week, local
offi cials continue to note that state law prevents
Oregon law enforcement from acting solely based
on an individual's immigration status.
Governor Kate Brown issued an executive or-
der on Feb. 2 in response to an executive order
signed by President Donald Trump preventing
individuals from seven Muslim-majority coun-
tries from entering the United States for 90 days.
The order was more commonly referred to as the
"Muslim ban."
"We have heard threats of a Muslim registry at
the federal level," Brown said. "I don't know how
sincere these threats are, but I want to be absolute-
ly clear: We will not participate."
Oregon Revised Statute 181.850 prohibits state
law enforcement from using state funds or per-
sonnel for the detection or apprehension of indi-
viduals solely based on their immigration status.
Brown's executive order expanded the law, bar-
ring all Oregon state agencies from using public
resources to locate undocumented residents.
Locally, the Cottage Grove Police Department
said it is bound by Oregon law and would not
participate in any investigation which centered
around an individual's immigration status alone.
"We assist all law enforcement agencies but we
are not the lead in those cases," Police Chief Scott
Shepherd said.
Local law enforcement is required to report un-
documented individuals to the proper authorities
but only after the individual has committed a sep-
arate crime.
"Really, the reporting process is the submission
of the fi ngerprints," Detective Conrad Gagner ex-
plained.
While school districts statewide have passed or
implemented policies aimed at protecting poten-
tially undocumented students from being subject
to federal raids, Shepherd said the likelihood of
federal agencies coming into local schools is slim.
"When they passed the law, 30 years ago now,
BY CAITLYN MAY
cmay@cgsentinel.com
that's one of the reasons is they were having those
raids," Gagner said of ORS 181.850.
However, the CGPD is of the position that state
law prohibits them from aiding any outside law
enforcement investigation based solely on immi-
gration status and the department has made steps
to ensure the local immigrant population under-
stands this position.
"We've done outreach," Shepherd said of the
large Guatemalan population in Cottage Grove.
"We want them to understand that we have laws
against domestic violence and that we are here to
help, that we will not act based on whether or not
they may or may not be here illegally."
However, language barriers make it diffi cult.
Due to the different regional dialects, oftentimes
Spanish-speakers cannot translate directly be-
tween offi cers and Guatemalan residents. "We
may need to do more outreach," Shepherd said.
"I would hope that it would continue to operate
as it has," Gagner said of immigration enforce-
ment in Oregon noting that the department has
cooperated with outside agencies in regards to an
undocumented individual before, but only after
the individual had committed a separate crime
he described as serious. "No matter who is pres-
ident," he said. "Bloviating is one thing but the
execution of something is another."
Oregon Governor signed an executive order on Feb. 2 extending a current state law
prohibiting law enforcement from acting soley on an individual's immigration status.
No law enforcement agency of the State of Oregon or of any political
subdivision of the state shall use agency moneys, equipment or personnel
for the purpose of detecting or apprehending persons whose only violation
of law is that they are persons of foreign citizenship present in the United
States in violation of federal immigration laws.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a law enforcement
agency may exchange information with the United States Bureau of Im-
migration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Bureau of Citizen-
ship and Immigration Services and the United States Bureau of Customs
and Border Protection in order to:
(a) Verify the immigration status of a person if the person is arrested for
any criminal offense; or
(b) Request criminal investigation information with reference to persons
named in records of the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs
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Enforcement, the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services or the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a law enforcement
agency may arrest any person who:
(a) Is charged by the United States with a criminal violation of federal
immigration laws under Title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act or
18 U.S.C. 1015, 1422 to 1429 or 1505; and
(b) Is subject to arrest for the crime pursuant to a warrant of arrest issued
by a federal magistrate.
(4) For purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the Bureau of Labor
and Industries is not a law enforcement agency.
(5) As used in this section, warrant of arrest has the meaning given that
term in ORS 131.005 (General defi nitions). [1987 c.467 §1; 2003 c.571
§1]
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
Spaghetti feed and dance
On Friday, Feb 10 at 5:30 p.m.
the Cottage Grove Safe Haven
is having a spaghetti feed and
dance with a D.J. at the Cath-
olic Church Community Hall.
The event is to raise money for
a women's recovery home in
Cottage Grove. The cost is $10
for dinner and dance. The dance
starts at 7 p.m. and the cost of
participating in the dance and
forging dinner is $5. Contact
Katy Owens at (541) 942-7420
for more information.
CVC presents movie
Friday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m.
the Cottage Village Coalition
will be showing the movie,
"The Lady in the Van" starring
Maggie Smith. The movie will
be shown at the community cen-
ter as part of an education effort
concerning homelessness and
a fundraising effort for a pro-
posed tiny house community in
Cottage Grove for low-income
people to keep them from fall-
ing into homelessness. Suggest-
ed donation is $10.
Swimmming lessons
Swim lessons began at the
end of January at the Cottage
Grove swimming pool. The les-
sons begin at 8:45 a.m. and run
through July. Five 45-minute
lessons cost $29 and drop-in
lessons are $6 per lesson. For
more information, call (541)
820-8321
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