Oregon
Oregon DOJ probe into sanctuary law compliance at Salem courthouse faces legal hurdles – Salem Reporter
A high-profile late March arrest by federal immigration agents at a courthouse in Marion County appears to have violated the state’s sanctuary law, but it’s unclear whether an inquiry into the incident from the Oregon Department of Justice will result in any significant action.
The review from state attorneys came in response to federal immigration agents at Salem’s Marion County Circuit Court receiving some assistance from local authorities during two arrests on March 26. Video depicting those arrests shows one instance of a member of the sheriff’s office walking around federal agents pushing a man to the ground inside the courthouse.
“The Oregon Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Unit received a report about federal immigration officials entering the Marion County Courthouse,” Jenny Hansson, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice, said in a statement Monday. “The CRU contacted the sheriff’s office regarding the incident and were advised that ICE agents presented a judicial warrant for a specific individual.”
But although one of the arrests in Salem involved a man for whom federal agents obtained a judicial warrant, federal immigration authorities relied on an administrative warrant to arrest one man shown in the video. The difference between judicial warrants, signed by judges, and administrative warrants, signed by immigration officers, is key in Oregon’s longstanding sanctuary law. Guidelines from Oregon Chief Justice Meagan Flynn in summer 2025 also echo the state’s 2021 sanctuary law and prohibit “civil arrests in or around court facilities without a judicial warrant or judicial order.”
The sanctuary law, first passed in the 1980s and expanded in 2021, prohibits using state and local law enforcement resources to assist with immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
Oregon law doesn’t permit local or state law enforcement to assist with immigration arrests through administrative warrants. A federal judge in February dismissed a lawsuit from Marion County officials claiming that the law forced local governments to decide between conflicting state and federal laws.
Hansson said she wasn’t able to respond to follow-up questions about the administrative arrest by Monday.
“This is all we can really say at this time,” she wrote.
There have been few publicly reported instances of immigration enforcement at Oregon courthouses, such as a July arrest by federal immigration agents outside Washington County Circuit Court. While the Trump administration argues that such arrests are necessary to allow agents to conduct safe operations, critics say the approach discourages witnesses, crime victims and survivors from participating in the legal system.
While the Marion County Sheriff’s Office directly assisted in apprehending the individual with the judicial warrant, they took a more hands-off approach for the administrative warrant.
A statement from the local law enforcement agency said that its officers escorted federal agents “through publicly accessible areas as they removed the disorderly arrestee from the courthouse to ensure there were no further disruptions to court operations.” A witness who spoke to the Salem Reporter, however, said they did not see the man “visibly resisting.”
Oregon lawmakers didn’t take up legislation during this year’s legislative session to further restrict civil arrests under immigration law at courthouses, deferring to existing state law that allows people to file civil suits against public agencies in the state which violate the sanctuary provisions.
California passed a law during the first iteration of the Trump administration to empower arrested individuals to seek a writ of habeas corpus. That would allow a detainee to appear in person in front of a judge to determine whether their detention was justified.
A federal judge in November dismissed a lawsuit from the Trump administration challenging a New York law largely banning immigration-related courthouse arrests, though the case has since been appealed.
State lawmaker supports thorough investigation
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has maintained that its operations were conducted in accordance with state and federal law. An agency spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from the Capital Chronicle on Monday.
But following the March 26 arrest with the administrative warrant, the state’s Department of Justice told The Oregonian/OregonLive that it was reviewing the incident “to determine whether legal action is warranted.”
It’s unclear what exactly could come from that inquiry. Although the case could be investigated for concerns of excessive force, the justice department’s own guidance suggests that enforcement of the sanctuary law rests upon individual Oregonians.
“Oregon DOJ can intervene in a non-punitive way with agencies subject to the law to improve compliance with sanctuary laws,” the civil rights unit’s sanctuary promise community toolkit reads. “The Oregon DOJ report can be subpoenaed for use if a community member or any person files for injunctive relief or otherwise pursues civil legal action/remedies against a violating agency.”
The only successful legal challenge brought under Oregon’s sanctuary laws since 2021 involved a lawsuit backed by the nonprofit Cottage Grove-based Rural Organizing Project. The organization helped win a court order in 2024 barring the city and its police from collaborating with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration law.
But even if a report found that the Marion County Sheriff’s Office violated the state’s sanctuary law, it’s not guaranteed that the agency could be required to face sanctions from state court. The office hasn’t named the man whom federal immigration agents arrested, though they’ve said that he was facing charges of unlawful possession of cocaine and driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Tung Yin, a professor of law at Portland’s Lewis & Clark Law School, questioned how enforcement of the sanctuary law would work for a person who was arrested and eventually deported. He said that they “probably would not have a claim under state law.”
“I highly doubt any public interest organizations would be able to sue on behalf of a removed person, even if there were a claim against federal officials,” Yin wrote in an email. “Standing in Oregon courts isn’t as stringent as in federal courts, but a generalized interest on behalf of the community probably won’t work.”
Rep. Willy Chotzen, a Portland Democrat who serves as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee, helped oversee the passage of immigrant rights bills attempting to restrict the conduct of federal agents in Oregon during this year’s short legislative session. He said he supports having a full investigation into the incident, adding that the video “shows something that is very alarming, and something that certainly looks like it would be a violation of our sanctuary laws.”
“We either need, as a state, to enforce the sanctuary laws or the individuals who are impacted and harmed, they need to have access to a lawyer,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “They need to have access to the court system in ways that I think we’re seeing the Trump administration actively trying to prevent people from having such access.”
An unnamed spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department didn’t answer questions about the administrative arrest and instead responded to an inquiry with information about the criminal charges facing the man they had arrested with a judicial warrant. The spokesperson criticized elected officials who decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, saying they “are wasting law enforcement time, energy, and resources, while putting their own constituents in danger.”
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter.
STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].
Shaanth Kodialam Nanguneri is a reporter based in Salem, Oregon covering Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Legislature. He grew up in the Bay Area, California and went on to study at UCLA, reporting for the Daily Bruin until graduating in March 2025. Previously, he was a reporting intern covering criminal justice and health for CalMatters in Sacramento, California. He is always eager to tell stories that illuminate how complex and intricate policies from state government can help shape the lives of everyday Oregonians.
Two days after the 2026 NFL Draft ended, Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Matthew Bedford accepted an invite to the New Orleans Saints’ rookie minicamp, and punter James Ferguson-Reynolds to the New York Giants’ rookie minicamp, according to The Oregonian’s James Crepea.
Bedford started his college career with the Indiana Hooisers and Ferguson-Reynolds with the Boise State Broncos before transferring to Eugene, Oregon.
Offensive Lineman Matthew Bedford
Across his two seasons with Oregon, Matthew Bedford only played eight of the 29 games played after suffering a left knee injury in the fall of 2024.
He was set to be the starting right guard and was only on the offensive line for 84 total snaps during his time with the Ducks.
Punter James Ferguson-Reynolds
James Ferguson-Reynolds, a native of Geelong, Australia, came to the United States in 2020. He was named an Associated Press Third Team All-American in 2023.
In his senior season with Oregon, Ferguson-Reynolds punted 35 times for 1,470 yards, averaging 42.0 yards per attempt. The leftie had 17 punts inside the 20-yard line and six punts of 50-plus yards, with a long boot of 58 yards.
Below are the four other Ducks that will be looking for a shot at a spot at an NFL training camp and an opening-day roster spot.
Running Back Noah Whittington
Noah Whittington is headed to the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
The Ducks’ leading rusher from the 2025 season was an All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention selection with 829 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 129 carries. He finished his college career with 2,950 career rushing yards after starting his career with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers from 2020 to 2021, then moving to the Emerald City from 2022 to 2025.
Offensive Tackle Isaiah World
Isaiah World signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Zenitz.
The 6-8, 315-pound giant earned All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention honors before suffering a torn ACL in his left knee during the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl. The former Nevada Wolfpack is expected to make a full recovery after not participating in the NFL Combine or Oregon’s Pro Day.
Long Snapper Luke Basso
Luke Basso will sign as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos, reported by Crepea.
The Duck will have the chance to reunite with quarterback Bo Nix, with whom he played alongside during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns at Autzen Stadium. The primary specialist appeared in 39 games, while earning All-Big Ten Conference First Team honors in his redshirt junior season and All-Big Ten Conference Second Team honors during his redshirt senior season.
Kicker Atticus Sappington
Atticus Sappington will be joining the Minnesota Vikings as a rookie minicamp invite, per Crepea.
The former Oregon State Beaver turned Duck went 51-for-61 on his field goal college attempts, turning a 83.6 percentage. On 40 through 49-yard attempts, Sappington knocked through 17-for-21 kicks through the uprights.
With the long distance of 50 yards or more, the Portland, Oregon, native finished 2-for-5 throughout his college career. His longest included a 51-yarder against the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, in the rivalry road 26-14 win to cap his Pacific Northwest tenure.
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The Oregon Ducks saw seven prospects picked in the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round.
It’s never too early to start talking about the 2027 NFL Draft, and Oregon has a few underclassmen who could declare early for the draft, joining an already deep draft class out of Eugene led by quarterback Dante Moore.
Jamari Johnson
After former Oregon star Kenyon Sadiq was drafted as the first tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 16 overall pick, many believe the Ducks have college football’s next best tight end already on the roster.
With Ducks tight end Jamari Johnson already receiving recognition as the top tight end prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, he’s likely only spending one more year in Eugene. Johnson flashed as a receiver during his first season at Oregon, and the expectations have only risen for 2026.
Alongside Sadiq, Johnson totaled 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns last season. After a season as the top tight end in Oregon’s offense, Johnson is expected to become the third Ducks tight end drafted in three consecutive years following Sadiq and Terrance Ferguson.
Koi Perich
Former Minnesota safety transferred to Oregon in the offseason and immediately received comparisons to former Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman, who started his career with Purdue before transferring and becoming a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
While Oregon fans certainly hope that Perich follows in Thieneman’s footsteps, the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick set the bar high.
Perich enters the Ducks defense expected to be an immediate contributor after earning freshman All-American honors (like Thieneman did at Purdue). The newest Oregon safety totaled 128 combined tackles, six interceptions, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in two seasons with Minnesota.
If he can produce at a similar level in Oregon’s defense, the NFL could come calling early for Perich.
Jeremiah McClellan
Maybe a bit of a surprise pick here, but McClellan will be eligible to declare for the 2027 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season. The headlining receiver in 2027 will no doubt be Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith, but McClellan could play his way into the NFL Draft.
McClellan is not projected as an early-round draft pick, especially entering a year in Oregon’s offense that features fellow receivers Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore.
Still, McClellan stepped up when the Ducks were thin at receiver in 2025, and another strong season from the Oregon pass catcher could boost his NFL Draft stock high enough. He finished the year with 38 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns, not to mention his uncanny ability for acrobatic, highlight receptions.
McClellan did miss Oregon’s spring game on Saturday with an undisclosed injury, though, so he’s far from a lock to declare early for the NFL Draft.
Especially considering the Ducks’ ability to retain players under Lanning, McClellan could very well play multiple years at Oregon after 2026. However, another break out season, and it could be his last in Eugene.
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Former USC Trojans freshman shooting guard Jerry Easter II will be staying within the Big Ten Conference and join the Oregon Ducks through the transfer portal.
The 6-5, 190-pound sophomore averaged 4.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game during his first college basketball season. Easter II finished with a shooting split of 43.6 from the field, 23.5 from beyond the arc, and 74.4 from the free throw line in 17.4 minutes across 29 games played.
Out of the 2025 recruiting class, the former top-60 and four-star recruit out of Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, visited coach Dana Altman in Eugene, Oregon, on March 8, 2024. He’s a high-volume scoring option that has a multifaceted style of offensive play, especially in the open floor. With time to work on his shooting mechanics this offseason, Easter II hopes to have his percentages across the board rise.
He’s much more of a two-guard, as he has an issue with caring for the ball consistently. With Kentucky Wildcats freshman combo guard Jasper Johnson having more of a shot at the starting position, Easter II looks to be a boost off the bench for Altman in 2026-27.
That still means the Ducks require a primary ball-handler to fill the point guard spot. If it can’t be found through the transfer portal, Johnson would look to take over the duties at the one. That’s not where the 6-5, 180-pound talent is best on the floor.
Alabama Crimson Tide’s Taylor Bol Bowen
Alabama Crimson Tide junior power forward/center Taylor Bol Bowen committed to the Pacific Northwest program after his official visit on April 22, bringing desperately needed size at the five spot in Oregon’s frontcourt.
The 6-10, 200-pounder averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this past season. He has a high defensive upside that will replace center Nate Bittle’s role right away.
What separates Bol Bowen’s game from other bigs that the Ducks’ coaching staff was recruiting through the transfer portal is his ability to stretch out the floor. He shot 37.2 percent from deep on nearly 200 attempts, dating back to his first two seasons with the Florida State Seminoles.
Altman’s going to have quite the lengthy unit that will be able to cover the court and switch everything on the defensive side of the ball.
Oregon’s 2026 Transfer Portal Class
Along with Easter II, Johnson, and Bol Bowen, there are three other new faces in Altman’s 2026 transfer portal haul.
- San Diego Aztecs sophomore power forward Pharaoh Compton
- Boise State Broncos junior wing/power forward Andrew Meadow
- San Francisco Dons sophomore wing Tyrone Riley IV
On3 has that group ranked No. 56 in the country, No. 13 in the Big Ten. 247Sports has Oregon’s transfer portal class ranked No. 39 overall and No. 8 in the Big Ten.
The Ducks have filled out 12 of the 15 available roster spots for both scholarship players and walk-ons.
St. John’s Red Storm’s Joson Sanon
Oregon reached out to Saint John’s sophomore transfer Joson Sanon, per League Ready. Whether or not those conversations will continue after the commitment of Easter II is unclear.
The 6-6, 200-pound shooting guard scored 7.9 points per game and shot 33.6 percent on three-pointers in 20.9 minutes across 37 games played in 2025-26. He started his collegiate career with the Arizona State Sun Devils.
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