Eugene’s police auditor says he plans to investigate whether Eugene Police coordinated with federal immigration authorities this week.
Grassroots groups reported increased immigration enforcement activities in Cottage Grove and around Eugene Wednesday. In a statement, Eugene’s Police Auditor Craig Renetzky said he’d received complaints that Eugene Police had helped immigration authorities.
"We take these reports seriously and are now in the initial investigations stages to determine what occurred and if there was any Eugene Police involvement," Renetzky wrote. "We will conduct a complete and thorough investigation."
The Eugene Police Auditor is independent, and separately funded, from the the police department.
Oregon Sanctuary laws prohibit local governments from using public resources for immigration enforcement.
Eugene Police spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin told KLCC today in an email Thursday that EPD has followed Oregon Sanctuary law.
"Eugene Police Department has nothing to do with immigration, nor with raids yesterday," McLaughlin wrote. "The photos and videos being shared on social media are clearly not Eugene Police officers. We welcome any scrutiny and are glad that the City of Eugene has a Police Auditor so that any concerns can be independently reviewed."
In Cottage Grove, Police Chief Cory Chase released a statement Thursday saying on-duty officers had received notice at 5 a.m. Wednesday that ICE was "in the city for official business," but federal agents did not ask for help and Cottage Grove police did not assist them.
"The Cottage Grove Police Department did not participate in any operations with the Department of Homeland Security," Chase wrote. "We continue to follow Oregon laws and our department policy regarding immigration matters."
The stepped up ICE activity in Lane County drew criticism from several local elected officials.
"This was only the most recent in a series of aggressive raids carried out across the state in recent months. We are working together with community leaders and local law enforcement to learn more and ensure that all of our constituents are accounted for," read the statement, which was distributed by U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle's office.
“Every Oregonian and every person in the United States, regardless of immigration status, is entitled to the full protections guaranteed by the Constitution. We will use all tools at our disposal as representatives of this community to ensure that those protections are upheld for the individuals detained today and for any Oregonian subjected to unjust or unlawful enforcement actions by ICE," the statement continued.
According to Hoyle's office, the statement was signed by Hoyle, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, State Sens. James Manning Jr. and Floyd Prozanski, State Reps. Julie Fahey, Lisa Fragala, Nancy Nathanson and John Lively, along with Lane County Commissioners Heather Buch and Laurie Trieger, Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, Eugene City Councilor Lyndsie Leech, and Springfield City Councilor Kori Rodley.
