07 Oct Woodburn, OR – PCUN, Oregon’s Farmworker Union, strongly condemns Marion County’s decision to sue the state and federal government over Oregon’s Sanctuary Law.

October 7, 2025

On August 18, Marion County filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon and the federal government, claiming “uncertainty” about whether county officials should follow state or federal law regarding immigration enforcement. In the same move, Marion County Commissioners asked other counties to sign onto a letter of support.

At first glance, this lawsuit may appear to be a technical issue. But in reality, the law has been settled, the courts have ruled, and Oregon’s values have been clear for decades.

Oregon’s Longstanding Sanctuary Law

In 1987, Oregon passed House Bill 2314, the nation’s first Sanctuary Law. This bipartisan bill, which passed nearly unanimously in the legislature, prohibited state and local resources from being used to detect or apprehend people whose only violation was their immigration status. The purpose was simple: keep families safe, prevent racial profiling, and ensure law enforcement resources focus on real community needs.

Since then, Oregonians have reaffirmed this law multiple times. In 2018, voters overwhelmingly rejected Ballot Measure 105, which sought to repeal the Sanctuary Law. More than 60% of Oregonians voted “No,” sending a clear message that our state stands with immigrant and farmworker families. In 2021, the legislature went even further, strengthening Sanctuary protections in the face of ongoing federal attacks.

The Courts Have Already Decided This

Marion County officials claim they need “clarity” over whether state or federal law applies. However, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has already ruled that there is no conflict between Oregon’s Sanctuary Law and federal law.

As Attorney General Dan Rayfield recently stated: 

“Oregon’s sanctuary law is longstanding and has coexisted under seven presidential administrations. The federal government, state, and local communities have a shared interest in keeping our communities safe. That’s why Oregon’s sanctuary law allows the federal government to seek a judicial warrant to carry out its public safety objectives under federal law.”

In other words, the law is clear: Oregon counties must follow Oregon law. If federal authorities have a legitimate case, they can pursue a judicial warrant. By escalating “confusion” over administrative subpoenas, which immigration officers sign, without judicial authority, county officials reveal that this is not about clarity at all, but about political theater.

Political Ambitions, Not Public Service

This lawsuit is less about governance and more about political ambition. Marion County Commission Chair Danielle Bethell has already filed and begun positioning herself for the Republican nomination for governor, even using official county platforms to raise her profile. Spending taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit with no legal basis is not leadership; it is self-promotion at the taxpayer’s expense, and a betrayal of community trust.

A Waste of Taxpayer Resources

Every hour county officials and staff spend on this case is an hour not spent addressing the real needs of Marion County residents: affordable housing, infrastructure, schools, public health, and community safety. Residents deserve leaders who focus on solutions, not lawsuits that align neatly with partisan agendas.

“This lawsuit is not about clarity, it’s about political ambition,” said Maria Cecilia Hinojos Pressey, Deputy Director of PCUN. “Commissioner Bethell is using taxpayer dollars to elevate her own profile in pursuit of a higher office. That’s not governance, that’s self-promotion.”

Our Call to Action

PCUN has supported Oregon’s Sanctuary Law since its inception in 1987. We fought Measure 105 in 2018, and we will continue defending immigrant and farmworker families. 

We call on Marion County Commissioners to:

• Withdraw this lawsuit immediately.
• Stop wasting taxpayer dollars on cases that the courts have already settled.
• Focus on governance, not political campaigns.

And we call on community members to take action:

• Submit a public comment to the Marion County Board of Commissioners demanding they retract this lawsuit.
• Speak out in your networks about why Sanctuary protections matter – for immigrant families, for public safety, and for the values of Oregonians.

Oregon’s Sanctuary Law has withstood the test of time, having been affirmed by legislatures, upheld by courts, and defended by voters. Marion County’s lawsuit is frivolous, wasteful, and harmful. It does not reflect the will of Oregonians, nor the needs of our communities.

About PCUN: PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) is Oregon’s Farmworker Union. Founded in 1985 and based in Woodburn, PCUN represents and advocates for farmworkers and working Latinx families across the state, fighting for dignity, justice, and equality in the fields and beyond.