As the Oregon 2021 legislative session rolls on, and still with the public banned from accessing the state's Capitol building, laws are being made inside that building which will certainly affect all of the people of Oregon. One such bill which is currently making it's way through committee is HB 3265.

The bill seems to have a number of stipulations within it which would further protect any foreign nationals if they are taken into custody by local United States law enforcement. HB 3265, whose Chief Sponsor is Teresa Alonso Leon(D) Woodburn, seems to be extra accommodating to anyone not a United States citizen.

The following is a summarized list of what the bill is intended to do:

• Requires that officer of law enforcement agency who arrests individual who is foreign national inform individual of consular notification procedures.
• Prohibits law enforcement agency or public body from denying services, benefits, privileges or opportunities to certain individuals on basis of federal civil immigration actions, inquiring about individual's citizenship status without connection to criminal investigation or providing information about individual in custody to federal immigration authority.
• Prohibits use of public resources to assist federal immigration enforcement.
• Requires public body that receives communication or request for assistance from federal immigration authority to report request or communication to office of Governor.
• Requires office of Governor to publish annual report of communications and requests received by public bodies.
• Requires office of Governor to establish mechanism to receive reports of certain violations.
• Prohibits public body, law enforcement agency or officer from entering into specified agreements related to federal immigration enforcement.
• Allows any person to bring action to enjoin law enforcement agency or public body from providing certain information to federal immigration authority or using agency resources to enforce immigration laws.
• Allows person injured by law enforcement agency's or public body's provision of information or use of agency resources to enforce immigration laws to bring civil action for damages.
• Directs court to award reasonable attorney fees to prevailing plaintiff.

And, as the supermajority Democrat Oregon legislature often does with the attachment of the Emergency Clause, the law will be declared effective immediately upon it's passage.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-03-12 17:41:39

Last Update: 2021-03-12 19:42:30