Oregon Reports 246 Percent Surge in Federal Immigration Requests

The Oregon Department of Justice and the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission reported a 246 percent increase in requests from federal immigration officials for state law enforcement support. Between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, officials made 329 requests, up from 95 the previous year.

These statistics follow a March arrest at a Salem courthouse conducted by the Marion County Sheriff's Office. The incident appears to have violated the state's 2021 sanctuary law, which requires a judicial warrant before law enforcement can assist federal immigration authorities unless the information is public.

In response to the data and the courthouse incident, Governor Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield have signaled support for updating sanctuary laws. Proposed changes would provide stronger protections and grant the attorney general the specific authority to sue agencies that violate these state laws.