• Oregon immigration laws prohibit officers from enforcing federal immigration laws.map of oregon image by Dawngo from Fotolia.com
  
  It is a widely held belief that matters of immigration, legal or illegal, are the responsibility of the United States government. However, in recent years some states have begun to carve our their own laws regarding how law enforcement could and should enforce immigration laws. Oregon has a set of unique immigration provisions that do not violate federal immigration statutes.
  
  

Enforcement of Immigration Law

• Oregon law prohibits law enforcement officers and agents from enforcing federal immigration law. The law disallows police officers and their political counterparts from using Oregon law enforcement equipment, money and employees to capture and detain illegal immigrants. Specifically, law enforcement agencies may not search for or apprehend any person if the only crime they are guilty of committing is federal immigration law.
  
  

Information Sharing

• Law enforcement officials in Oregon may provide information to the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as other federal agencies who deal with matters of immigration if certain conditions are met. When an Oregon law enforcement officer makes a criminal arrest, he may verify the person's immigration status with the proper immigration organization. If a police officer or other law enforcement agent in Oregon makes an arrest for a criminal violation of the law, she may contact one of the immigration agencies to retrieve investigative information for a person named on any of the immigration records.
  
  

Arrest

• Although Oregon law enforcement officers may not arrest a person solely for violating federal immigration law, he may arrest any person who has been charged with the violation of a criminal law by the United States government. Specifically, an arrest warrant must be issued by a federal judge for violations committed under "Title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act." An arrest may not be made for immigration violations without a federal arrest warrant being issued by a judge.