Sheriffs in nine Oregon counties say they will no longer hold people in jail based on requests from federal immigration authorities after a U.S. judge in Portland ruled that an immigrant's rights had been violated when she was held in a county jail on such a request, says the New York Times. The Oregon decision was the latest of several federal rulings this year that raised doubts about the constitutionality of detainers that federal authorities have routinely issued to state and local police.
The Oregon sheriffs join a growing resistance nationwide to the expansion of the local reach of federal immigration enforcement. In response to the judge's decision last week, the nine sheriffs said they would no longer comply with documents, known as detainers, issued by the federal immigration enforcement agency. The detainers, which are issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, request that immigrants be held for up to 48 hours so their legal status can be investigated.