Proposal to allow Oregon police to work with ICE on felony cases rejected by all Senate Democrats

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Senate Democrats rejected a proposal Thursday that would have authorized state and local law enforcement to coordinate with federal immigration officials regarding noncitizens convicted of felonies with named victims.

The proposal, introduced as a Republican-backed amendment to House Bill 4111, would have allowed police and the Oregon Department of Corrections to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when someone convicted of a felony involving a named victim was about to be released from custody. Supporters said the goal was to allow federal authorities to take custody of offenders who are in the country without legal status.

Republicans argued the measure was narrowly focused on public safety.
Mike McLane, a Republican senator from Powell Butte who carried the proposal on the Senate floor, said it applied only to people convicted of serious crimes against specific victims.

McLane said the change would simply allow federal officials to determine whether they should take custody of those offenders after they finish their sentences, rather than releasing them back into Oregon communities.

However, all Senate Democrats voted against the proposal.

Democrats and supporters of Oregon’s sanctuary law have argued that allowing local police to coordinate with federal immigration enforcement could undermine trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. They say that when immigrants fear deportation, they may be less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations, which could make communities less safe overall.

The rejected amendment was attached to House Bill 4111, which focuses primarily on immigration issues in civil and workplace cases. The bill limits when a person’s immigration status can be used as evidence in civil court and adds worker protections for employees who update their work authorization after a lawful change in immigration status. It also expands Oregon’s legal definition of profiling to include immigration status.

While the amendment failed, House Bill 4111 itself passed and is expected to take effect 91 days after the legislative session adjourns.