Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County holds work session on strengthening local sanctuary protections and ordinance options
Summary
Multnomah County commissioners conducted a work session to consider an ordinance and accompanying resolution to codify and extend sanctuary protections locally, discussing signage for county properties, data protections, mandatory employee training, contractor guidance, and administrative rulemaking to implement details.
Multnomah County commissioners devoted a work session to a draft ordinance and complementary resolution aimed at affirming and strengthening local sanctuary protections and clarifying how county departments should respond to federal immigration enforcement.
Commissioner Shannon Singleton and staff described broad community feedback seeking an ordinance (to provide legal durability) paired with administrative rulemaking for implementation detail and community co‑design of training. Garrett Prior and Salom Chimuku Aishi reviewed sample language from other jurisdictions and recommended a concise, replicable ordinance accompanied by detailed administrative rules and training.
Staff explained proposed components that would be included in county legislative language: an explicit local restatement of the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act; a local definition of ‘‘restricted areas’’ on county property (to reduce ambiguity about spaces where immigration enforcement access is limited); a county commitment to produce clear signage and multi-language resource materials for county-owned properties; personal-data protections for county-collected information; mandatory annual training for county employees with training resources offered to contractors; and optional ‘‘know your rights’’ sessions for staff.
Commissioners raised several implementation questions: whether federal agents could lawfully occupy county parking lots used by the public, how restrictions would apply on unincorporated county property (mailing/notice requirements under land-use code changes), internal accountability and incident-reporting procedures, and how rulemaking would include community and employee resource group input. County counsel advised that the ordinance could define restricted areas and prohibit uses of county property that are not generally open to the public, while cautioning on the need for generally applicable rules.
Several commissioners said they wanted expedited next steps and instructed staff to revise the draft ordinance and resolution incorporating board feedback for consideration in coming weeks.
Why it matters: proponents said a clear local ordinance and administrative rules would provide county employees and community members with consistent protections and procedures if federal enforcement activity affects county services or facilities.
What’s next: staff will incorporate board comments, refine ordinance language and implementation steps with the county attorney, and return to the board for formal action in the coming weeks.
