Douglas County Commissioners passed a resolution last week saying they are not a sanctuary county, and that they support the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Now, as backlash ripples across the state, they’re doubling down — saying the resolution was legal and followed public meeting law.
In a joint statement shared with KLCC Tuesday, commissioners argue some of the information circulating about their intentions and proceedings is misinformation.
“Disagreement with a public resolution does not change the legal process that was followed,” the commissioners wrote.
Commissioners added that while individuals’ opinions may differ, they believe they adopted the resolution in accordance with all laws, public meeting requirements and established County procedures.
The commissioners said they discussed the idea at previous meetings and that the item was publicly noticed as a part of a presentation from a group called the Douglas County Citizens Coalition.
They said in light of the potential legal action, they will not be granting interviews to members of the news media.
Oregon’s largest farmworker advocacy group is among those condemning the resolution.
In a statement shared with reporters on Friday, Reyna Lopez, Executive Director of Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, known as PCUN, said by passing the resolution, Douglas County Commissioners are “endorsing ICE’s reign of terror.”
“We demand that all of Oregon abides by our state laws,” Lopez wrote. “Because no one should have to fear leaving their home because of how they look, the language they speak or their last name."
Meanwhile, the Oregon BIPOC Caucus called the vote unconscionable. The lawmakers said they were monitoring the situation for potential legislative solutions.
“We vehemently condemn the actions of Commissioners Tom Kress, Chris Boice and Tim Freeman, who declared Douglas County to be against Oregon’s values and laws,” caucus members wrote in a joint statement.
Opponents also fear potential violations of Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise Act, which bars local governments from helping with immigration enforcement unless they’ve been provided with a judicial warrant.
Melissa Sherwood is one among those worried the resolution might violate sanctuary law. She’s a community member who attended the meeting last week where commissioners adopted the resolution. She told KLCC at the time that she had already reached out to legal advocacy groups with her concerns.
Oregon’s Sanctuary law allows members of the public to enforce it through lawsuits, according to the Oregon Department of Justice. If a person believes a city or county is out of compliance, they can take legal action.
The Rural Organizing Project has helped several rural community members win or settle suits against local governments over sanctuary law issues, including Cottage Grove and Columbia County.
The group, alongside the Oregon Law Center, sued Multnomah County earlier this year out of concern they were sharing private data with federal immigration officials.
