As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents roundup undocumented immigrants nationwide, the Umatilla and Morrow county sheriff’s offices made it clear they will not join any ICE raids.

Doing so would be against Oregon law.

“That’s the rules in Oregon that we’ve been following for years so that’s what I’m gonna continue to do,” Morrow County Sheriff John Bowels said.

Capt. Sterrin Ward with the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office also said it will not assist ICE on rounding up people.

Oregon in 1987 passed a sanctuary law that prevents state and local police from asking about a person’s immigration status or joining federal agents on immigration enforcement raids. The law ensures local and state resources remain focused on addressing local crimes while upholding strong legal protections for immigrants.

Immigration enforcement operations have started to sweep through major U.S. cities, including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

Rumors of ICE arriving in Oregon are swelling across social media platforms, raising concerns among Latino community members in Eastern Oregon.

“We feel that impact in a heavy way,” said Zaira Sanchez, director of community organizing for Oregon Rural Action. “So I believe that we’re all going to continue to work together to care for each other and be good neighbors during these challenging times.”

Sanchez said Oregon Rural Action is offering training to inform community members of their rights, helping them feel safe, secure and protected in their daily lives.

“Oregonians are going to stick together to defend our immigrant families,” Sanchez said. “Protect them against unfair targeting, interrogating and detaining them simply for being an undocumented immigrant.”

Morrow County, with a population of 12,302, has one of the highest Latino proportions in Eastern Oregon, with about 42.2% of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

About 28% of Umatilla County’s nearly 80,000 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, and the county has a higher Latino density – 22,400 – compared to Morrow County, according to Data USA.