SALEM, Ore. — Amid the Trump administration’s national crackdown on immigration enforcement, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed an executive order that creates a new council to improve how the state supports immigrant and refugee communities.
Executive Order 26-04 creates an Interagency Council for Immigrant and Refugee Coordination amid heightened federal immigration enforcement.
The governor’s order, which notes that the state is home to more than 400,000 immigrants and over 67,000 refugees, is intended to “ensure state agencies are aligned, responsive, and consistent in supporting immigrant and refugee communities.”
“Governor Tina Kotek signed an executive order establishing a new Interagency Council for Immigrant and Refugee Coordination to ensure state agencies are aligned, responsive, and consistent in supporting immigrant and refugee communities amid escalating and abusive federal immigration enforcement tactics that are destabilizing Oregon communities and spreading fear among families across the state.”
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The council will be led by the state’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, which is within the Department of Human Services.
“No one should be afraid to go to work, take their child to school, or ask for help because of who they are or where they come from,” Governor Kotek said. “This executive order builds on the work agencies have been doing and takes the state’s response to the next level in order to protect families, support communities, and live up to Oregon’s values during a deeply uncertain moment.”
The governor said the order builds on Oregon’s longstanding sanctuary laws, and she indicated that she will closely watch legislation that could offer more tools to respond to federal immigration policies.
The order takes effect immediately, and the governor will reevaluate whether it is necessary every three months, EO 26-04.