Commissioners Make Multnomah a 'Sanctuary' County

PORTLAND, OR – Multnomah County will be a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants and refugees thanks to an unanimous vote by county commissioners Thursday.

“We want to make sure our policy is to serve everyone in our community without reservation and without fear of reporting them to immigration,’’ Commissioner Loretta Smith said. “We are a safety net government. We are a place where you can come if children are sick or hungry. We are not a policing organization, our goal is to serve the most vulnerable.’’

The moves come on the heels of Portland Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler recently saying the Rose City will remain a sanctuary.

There is no specific legal definition for what constitutes a sanctuary jurisdiction, however the term refers to local governments limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Supporters of the sanctuary resolution say it will help alleviate some fears among minority groups who have become nervous about the incoming presidential administration.

“We cannot allay every fear and we don’t know all the answers. But we can affirm the commitment of our staff and the policies of this county are and will be focused on supporting the health and well being of our immigrant and refugee community,” Chair Deborah Kafoury said.

Smith says the county stopped jail holds fro Immigration and Customs Enforcement years ago.

“We are not holding folks for ICE. We don't police for our immigration departments," Smith told KGW News. "We are a safety net government that's here to help the people. We want to make sure that they know – we have their back and we are going to help them as best we can.”

- Photo of Portland skyline via Jeff Gunn Flickr