Oregon Dems vote against notifying ICE when illegal immigrant felons are released from jail

On Tuesday, Oregon state Democratic lawmakers unanimously voted against notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when or before a criminal illegal immigrant convicted of felony crimes is released from custody. The proposed amendment, supported by Republicans, would have required state and county jails to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in carrying out any action concerning any person convicted of a felony crime under Oregon law.

The proposal was intended to make the state comply with immigration detainers, an official request from federal immigration authorities sent to jails asking to be notified before an illegal immigrant charged and/or convicted of a crime is scheduled to be released from custody. This would allow federal agents to apprehend criminal migrants directly from jails, instead of them being released into the public to potentially reoffend.

Under Oregon's sanctuary state statute, known as the "Sanctuary Promise," local and state law enforcement are forbidden from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, including ICE detainers. The state has repeatedly released illegal immigrants charged with serious felony crimes, including murder, kidnapping, child rape, and illicit drug distribution, into the public after refusing to notify federal authorities. Many of them have reoffended.

Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr slammed Democrats for rejecting the proposal, saying, "This is as common sense as common sense gets. He added: "Do we want violent felons who have no legal right to be present in Oregon to remain here, or should there at least be an opportunity for federal authorities to take custody? When Democrats block even that, they are choosing ideology over public safety."

According to recent polls, the majority of Americans support federal immigration authorities arresting and removing criminal illegal immigrants from the country. The Tuesday vote appears to run contrary to the will of the majority of Americans.

"The effect of voting 'no' today is to affirm that a person who is here illegally and commits a felony in Oregon should remain here as the felon is released from prison. This proposal was about violent criminals - murderers, rapists, sex abusers - and whether Oregon will at least allow DOC to notify federal authorities before they are released back into our communities," said Republican Senator Mike McLane. "I cannot for the life of me understand why they would reject this."
 

In October 2025, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon and the US Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division filed a petition demanding compliance with ICE detainers after the state Department of Corrections (DOC) released ten violent felons from custody in Clackamas, Washington, Multnomah, and Marion Counties. The felons, illegal immigrant repeat offenders, were convicted of serious crimes, such as manslaughter, criminal mistreatment, child rape, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, assault, and more.

Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller described the state's non-compliance with ICE detainers as "alarming." She said, "This endangers public safety, wastes resources, and forces ICE to track these individuals at large, putting communities at risk."

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, refused to end the state's sanctuary status last year when ordered by the Trump administration to do so. Additionally, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield defended the state's non-compliance with ICE detainers when pressed about the matter by The Post Millennial.