Lane County hearing on ‘sanctuary’ protections spotlights Oregon law, jail policies and requests to stockpile gender-affirming drugs

Dozens of residents urged the Lane County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, to adopt local policies and concrete steps to protect immigrants and transgender residents as the incoming federal administration signals stricter immigration and gender-specific policies. The Oregon Department of Justice described how the state's Sanctuary Promise Act (House Bill 3265) limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and the Lane County Sheriff's Office reviewed internal jail rules that bar most local assistance to federal immigration authorities.

The requests from speakers ranged from a public statement of protection to operational steps such as the county health clinics purchasing and stockpiling hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) drugs. Anna Lardner, a Lane County resident, told commissioners the county should "use the power of the county community clinics to purchase and stockpile HRT drugs, gender affirming care drugs, similar to how the county ... stockpiled reproductive health drugs." Several other residents, including Sherry Jones and Emily Heilbron, made similar asks during the public comment period.

Why it matters: Oregon's sanctuary statutes constrain state and local agencies from assisting federal immigration enforcement unless compelled by a court order or other legal process. Community members told the board they…