A pair of Republican lawmakers say they鈥檒l attempt to roll back some of Oregon鈥檚 sanctuary protections next year, as the party signals it will highlight border security in this year鈥檚 election.
In circulated earlier this week, state Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, and Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville, wrote to Republican colleagues that Oregon has been 鈥渟ignificantly impacted鈥� by a surge of illegal entries at the nation鈥檚 southern border, 鈥減articularly through the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs鈥︹��
The solution, Knopp and Breese-Iverson say, is to make it easier for local law enforcement agencies and other Oregon public officials to collaborate with federal authorities to enforce immigration law.
The pair plans to introduce a longshot bill during next year鈥檚 session rolling back the so-called Sanctuary Promise Act. who still hold majorities in both chambers, the law strengthened Oregon鈥檚 decades-old sanctuary protections, creating explicit prohibitions on local officials aiding federal immigration authorities.
鈥淲e are committed to bringing a repeal of the Sanctuary Promise Act in the 2025 legislative session,鈥� the memo says. 鈥淎dditionally, we believe it is essential to continue discussing and developing solutions that may go further to fully address this border crisis effectively.鈥�
The memo is the latest sign that GOP lawmakers see the problems brought by an onrush of migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border as a winning political issue this fall. It comes as President Joe Biden this week took executive action to blunt criticisms his administration has been too soft on the issue.
Earlier this spring, a group of 16 Republicans 鈥� both sitting lawmakers and legislative candidates hoping to become lawmakers 鈥� in order to get a first-hand look at the state鈥檚 struggles with immigration. Such border pilgrimages havearound the country looking to knock Democrats鈥� stance on an issue that has risen to the top of voter concerns.
The strategy is not unique to one party. Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley to highlight a policy by then-President Donald Trump that was separating migrant families.
Knopp and Breese-Iverson spearheaded the Arizona trip, and addressed their memo to those who attended. It included a rundown of other laws that Oregon lawmakers have passed in recent years, including millions set aside for grants to refugee resettlement agencies, and a bill that created a new state office to support immigrants and refugees.
鈥淒uring our Arizona trip earlier this year, we repeatedly heard that 鈥榚very state is a border state,鈥欌�� the lawmakers wrote. 鈥淭his has become increasingly relevant as the Biden administration appears to be taking executive action on the border this week. It is clear we must address the ongoing border crisis.鈥�
National polling suggests that immigration isAmericans 鈥� especially Republicans and nonaffiliated voters, who are key for GOP hopes to winning more power in the Beaver State.
Worries over how voter unease on the issue would play at the ballot box this year helped prompt Biden to earlier this week, making it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum in the U.S. at a time law enforcement officers aremigrants at the border every day.
While Republicans are not expected to retake either chamber of the Legislature in this year鈥檚 elections, the party is hopeful it can win back ground 鈥� particularly in the House, where Democrats hold a 35-25 majority. Republicans are also hoping to win at least one of three statewide offices that are up for grabs. Three of the state鈥檚 six congressional races 鈥� two with Democratic incumbents 鈥� are potentially competitive this year, as well.
But whether immigration is at the forefront of Oregonians鈥� minds right now is unclear.
Polling by Portland firm DHM research suggested that roughly half of Oregon voters think illegal immigration is a serious problem. But a majority of voters said at the time they supported Oregon keeping its status as a sanctuary state, and nearly 60% said immigration was a positive thing for the country.
As of last August, the issue hadn鈥檛 surfaced as a major concern for many Oregonians, said John Horvick, DHM鈥檚 senior vice president. Just 1% said in a survey that immigration is the most important problem facing the state.
鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean that Oregonians don鈥檛 care, but it鈥檚 not nearly as top of mind as a state issue compared to things like homelessness, drugs, and crime,鈥� Horvick said.
Oregon voters that would have rolled back the state鈥檚 sanctuary protections as they existed at that time, prior to the legislature beefing up the law in 2021.
Any attempt to rollback sanctuary protections appears likely to meet a similar fate in the Legislature. The law Republicans hope to target had near-unanimous support from majority Democrats. Its sponsors included now-House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene.
Fahey did not respond to a request for comment about the GOP memo, and a number of other sponsors of the 2021 bill couldn鈥檛 be reached. Latino Network, a nonprofit that was a key backer of , said it didn鈥檛 have immediate comment.
Knopp will no longer be a member of the Senate next year. He is barred from running for reelection after participating in a six-week walkout during the 2023 session. Knopp鈥檚 office said the lawmaker could still file a bill for next year prior to leaving office in January.
