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Salem human rights panel presses police on limits to local cooperation with federal immigration agents
Summary
At its Feb. 11 meeting the Salem Human Rights Commission pressed Salem Police on how the department responds when residents report possible immigration-enforcement activity, and staff announced city 'Know Your Rights' trainings available in English and Spanish with indigenous-language versions planned.
Sergeant Robert Dowd of the Salem Police Department told the Human Rights Commission on Feb. 11 that the department is trained not to "cooperate or or participate in any sort of, immigration enforcement activities" absent a valid judicial warrant.
The exchange followed questions from commissioners about a recent local incident in which a woman said she had been boxed in by unmarked vehicles. Dowd said Chief Womack asked him to point the commission to a Feb. 2 statement from the city manager and that SPD will, when necessary, try to confirm whether federal agents are operating in an area and recommend that residents call 911 in the moment.
"If you're boxed in, you can be on the phone with the 911 dispatcher and explain to them what's going on, and police would be dispatched to go out, and at least confirm that people that people who are executing the traffic stop or the boxing in are in fact, federal agents," Dowd said.
Dowd and commissioners clarified when local police will share information with federal officers. He said Salem Police will not provide information to immigration officers without a valid judicial order: "a valid arrest warrant signed by the United States District Court would be the only circumstance where we could provide information directly to a federal officer." Several commissioners pressed about administrative warrants and were told SPD will not comply with an administrative warrant signed solely by an immigration officer.
The panel discussed remedies for residents who allege wrongful detention by federal officers. Dowd said SPD would typically direct people to file a complaint with the FBI for incidents where a federal agent's actions allegedly rise to wrongful detention or arrest, because SPD lacks jurisdiction to investigate federal enforcement actions.
Commissioners also contrasted those operational limits with state law: a commission speaker noted that Oregon's sanctuary law, first enacted in 1987, informs local policy and training. The exchange underscored tensions commissioners said they hear in the community about accountability for federal enforcement actions.
The commission did not adopt any new enforcement policy at the meeting; commissioners and the police liaison described existing training and referral channels and encouraged residents to call 911 during suspicious encounters so police can respond or confirm agency presence.
Next steps: commissioners said they will continue oversight conversations with staff and consider outreach tied to the city's posted Know Your Rights materials.
