Oregon attorney general announces statewide launch of ‘Sanctuary Promise Hotline’

First state in country to offer counseling benefits; also now offering emergency funds

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on Friday launched a new statewide Sanctuary Promise Hotline, saying that anyone can and should report suspected violations of Oregon sanctuary laws to the hotline in any language.

Here's the rest of her news release, in full:

Oregon’s long-standing sanctuary laws restrict state and local law enforcement as well as all state and local government agencies from collecting, storing, or sharing information about a person’s national origin, immigration, or citizenship status for the purposes of enforcing federal immigration law. The Oregon legislature recently provided funding for the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) to staff the hotline with culturally responsive and trauma-informed advocates. DOJ will investigate all allegations of sanctuary promise law violations.

“For the first time, any person in Oregon can report a sanctuary law violation to a hotline designed to support and meet our communities’ needs,” said Rosenblum.

“Our immigrants, refugees, and migrant workers are our friends, neighbors and co-workers, and they are a vital part of our social and economic fabric. Oregonians value fairness and dignity, and all people should feel safe in their communities. No one should feel like they cannot show up to work or school for fear of being arrested, detained or deported. We intend to follow up on every single call and urge all Oregonians to be aware of and use this new resource.”

Oregon was the first state in the nation to become a sanctuary state in 1987, when legislation passed with bipartisan support. The Oregon legislature recently expanded the law under the Sanctuary Promise Act (House Bill 3265) to mandate that, among other things, if law enforcement or public bodies are contacted by federal immigration agencies, they must decline to share information and report the contact to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

The Sanctuary Promise Act also provides funding for DOJ to staff a trauma-informed, culturally responsive hotline for community members to report violations of the law, and for the Oregon Department of Justice to investigate allegations of sanctuary promise law violations.

In January 2020, the Oregon Department of Justice launched the Bias Response Hotline, which has fielded over 3,000 reports of hate and bias occurring throughout Oregon. The new Sanctuary Promise Hotline will be the second hotline in the Civil Rights Unit staffed by trained advocates within the Oregon Department of Justice’s Crime Victims and Survivors Services Division (CVSSD).

To further support victims of hate and bias, Oregon DOJ recently became the first state in the country to provide counseling benefits through the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program to anyone who has experienced a bias crime or bias incident, including a sanctuary bias incident.

In addition, as of Friday, victims can apply for up to $1,000 in Emergency Monies for Bias Victims to help with safety, security, relocation or other assistance in the aftermath of bias. Contact the Bias Response Hotline at StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov or 1-844-924-BIAS (2427) for questions or to apply. The hotline accepts all Relay calls.

Examples of violations to Oregon Sanctuary Promise laws include:

• Investigation or interrogation by state or local police for immigration enforcement purposes;
• Most inquiries, storing, or sharing of information about national origin, immigration or citizenship status by police or state or local government;
• Civil arrest without a judicial warrant/order from a court facility;
• Arrests by federal immigration agents of a person on their way to or from court or while at court;
• Police collaboration with federal authorities for immigration enforcement purposes;
• Denial of services, benefits, or privileges to a person in jail or on probation/parole based on immigration status;
• Police establishing coordinated traffic stops or traffic perimeters to enforce federal immigration orders or laws; or
• State or local government or police failing to document or report request from a federal immigration agency relating to immigration enforcement.

Rosenblum thanked the chief sponsors of the Sanctuary Promise bill: Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, Rep. Khanh Pham, Sen. Chris Gorsek, Rep. Wlnsvey Campos and Rep. Andrea Valderrama.

“Their passionate commitment to this issue and making Oregon more inclusive and welcoming is the reason we are able to launch this important hotline,” she said.

To contact the new Oregon Sanctuary Promise Hotline:

In English: SanctuaryPromise.Oregon.gov  1-844-924-STAY (1-844-924-7829).

En Español: PromesaSantuario.Oregon.gov  1-844-6-AMPARO (1-844-626-7276).

Community members can report in any language, and the hotline accepts all Relay calls.

To read this press release in Spanish click here.