President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on illegal immigration and so-called sanctuary cities. Those are communities that choose not to work with federal immigration officials.
Leaders in Portland and Multnomah County have said they will not use their resources to track immigration violations after Trump takes office. Washington County can now be counted among those ranks.
Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett said the Oregon Legislature passed a law nearly 30 years ago that prohibits law enforcement from using state or local resources to enforce federal immigration law.
"Our business is not about enforcing federal immigration law, nor is it in any way about where you came from. Police officers, deputy sheriffs, state troopers have no role in federal immigration," said Garrett.
Garrett said the priority of local policing is community safety.
He said victims should feel secure that if they report a crime to police, they won’t be arrested on an immigration violation.
OPB's Morning Edition host Geoff Norcross spoke to Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett about federal immigration law. Listen to the full interview above.
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