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Oregon Governor Signs Executive Order to Handle ‘Abusive’ Federal Immigration Enforcement Tactics Top Stories By Lucille McNamara On Jan 31, 2026 FILE - Oregon State Capitol - October 2024 - Salem, Oregon | Photo by Seth Smigelski Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 26-04 yesterday in response to what she described as increasingly aggressive federal immigration enforcement, which is unsettling communities across Oregon. New Inter-Agency Council Goes Into Immediate Action The executive order takes immediate effect, and a new inter-agency Council for Immigrant and Refugee Coordination has been established to ensure that state agencies are aligned, responsive, and consistent in support of immigrant and refugee communities. Directive What it means Takes effect immediately The council starts work right away (signed Jan 30, 2026). Creates an interagency council A formal coordination group for state response to reported enforcement activity. Led by OIRA inside ODHS Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement leads, with partner agencies participating. Inventory and improve protocols Review current practices and identify fixes to keep agency responses consistent statewide. Core agencies named Education, health, housing, and transportation are explicitly included. The new agency was established after a roundtable conference convened by Gov. Kotek with advocates and state legislators, at which concerns about heightened enforcement actions, fear among communities, and disruptions to essential services for immigrants and refugees were discussed. The Executive Order Takes the State’s Response to the Next Level In a press statement, the governor says the executive order will take the state’s response to the next level to protect families, support communities, and live up to Oregon’s values (as a sanctuary state) ‘during a deeply uncertain’ time in the nation. The newly-formed Council for Immigrant and Refugee Coordination will be led by the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (OIRG), which operates within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). The new agency brings together key state departments—education, health, housing, and transportation—to coordinate and monitor protocols and practices in response to reports of immigration enforcement activities. The Council Will Identify What Needs Fixing to Protect Immigrant Communities It will identify avenues to improve state response to immigration enforcement activities, assess how the state responds to immigration enforcement activities, and identify what needs to be fixed to better protect immigrant communities. As federal immigration enforcement actions unfold, the council will ensure that state agencies meet the legal obligations of Oregon’s sanctuary status (1987), and with the Sanctuary Promise Act (2021). Gov. Kotek says she will closely monitor legislation under consideration in the upcoming legislative session that could equip the state with more tools to respond to “escalating and abusive” federal immigration enforcement tactics. Oregon’s Immigrant Community Contributes $33 Billion to State Coffers Annually Oregon is home to 406,692 immigrants who make up about 13% of the state’s labor force and contribute an estimated $33 billion to the state’s economy annually. Tidings Data Snapshot Oregon immigrant economic footprint 406,692 Foreign born residents in Oregon (ACS 2023) 9.6% Share of Oregon population that is foreign born 13.0% Share of Oregon labor force that is immigrant (2022) $33B Estimated annual contribution to Oregon economy $14.4B Immigrant household spending power in Oregon (2022) Source: Migration Policy Institute Oregon profile (ACS 2023) / American Immigration Council testimony to Oregon Legislature (Feb 2025, 2022 figures) / Oregon Center for Public Policy interview with Inclusive Migration Research (May 2024) Dailytidings.com Tidings Data Snapshot Low wage work and immigrant workers in Oregon Immigrant workers in low wage jobs : 33% US born workers in low wage jobs : 24% Low wage jobs in Oregon (workers) Total low wage workers : 280,000 US born in low wage jobs : 227,000 Immigrants in low wage jobs : 50,000 Source: Inclusive Migration Research report on Oregon immigrant workforce (low wage shares and counts) Dailytidings.com The immigrant labor force is particularly dominant in key industries such as agriculture and construction. Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email