Politics

Oregon Ballot Initiative To End Sanctuary State Status Fails

ShutterStock/Bruce Stanfield

Mike Brest Reporter
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The state of Oregon did not pass a ballot initiative that would have ended their decades-old status as a sanctuary state on Tuesday.

With over a million votes counted, the opposition to the initiative was leading 64 percent to 35 percent, according to the Oregonian, who also called the result.

Local law enforcement is forbidden from using public resources to try to locate illegal immigrants that are not suspected of committing a crime. (RELATED: Forget California, Oregon Is The Foremost ‘Sanctuary State’ In The US)

“No on 105” posted a celebratory status on Facebook: “We have defended Oregon’s values and said no to those who want to divide immigrant and non-immigrant Oregonians! We are going to keep fighting for our rights and we need you to be a part of it. Please commit to continuing to protect immigrants in Oregon. Thank you!”

The three state representatives who pushed this initiative were Mike Norman, Sal Esquivel and Greg Barreto.

“Across the state, hundreds of grassroots Oregonians worked to gather the signatures of tens of thousands of voters,” said Cynthia Kendoll, president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, to the Statesman Journal in July. “All are eager to end Oregon’s sanctuary policy and see their state do its part to combat, not promote, illegal immigration.”

Oregon was a sanctuary state before the term was created. The state legislature passed a law in 1987 that blocked the state’s police departments from using any resources to arrest or detain people wanted solely on immigration violations.

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