Surrounded by immigrant rights advocates and legislators, Gov. Tina Kotek on Saturday denounced the federal government’s crackdown on immigration and said Oregon would be responding in the upcoming legislative session.
Gov. Tina Kotek speaks at a press conference in Salem, Ore., on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
Joni Land / OPB
Speaking to reporters in the Capitol building, Kotek criticized the surge in immigration enforcement occurring in Oregon and across the U.S. in recent months. Oregon saw at least 1,100 immigration arrests in 2025, according to the Deportation Data Project.
“The president and his agencies are intentionally working to scare, bully and traumatize our immigrant and refugee communities, and our Black, brown and Indigenous communities,” Kotek said.
The press conference took place right after Kotek met with a roundtable of organizations and advocates regarding the state’s response.
“We have to improve coordination between our community partners and our state agencies to combat the confusion and misinformation and delayed response and the very fear that our families are experiencing,” Kotek said.
Oregon Democrats last week announced several immigration-related bills for the upcoming legislative session. For example, one would prevent law enforcement officers from wearing masks or concealing their identities. Another would allow Oregonians to sue federal agents.
Kotek’s office said more details about the specific legislation will be released on Monday.
Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, said many immigrant families are afraid to leave their homes to seek necessities and medical care. He referenced the arrest of a 7-year-old girl and her family in the parking lot of Portland Adventist Health on Jan. 15. The family was seeking medical attention for their daughter, who was suffering from nosebleeds.
“We are devastated by the stories we’re hearing every single day — stories of families and entire communities being torn apart by this federal administration,” Ruiz said. “What especially is alarming is the continued use of racial profiling as a tool for detention.”
Oregon Rep. Ricki Ruiz speaks at a press conference in Salem, Ore., on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Ruiz appeared alongside Gov. Tina Kotek and other state leaders to speak about plans to introduce several bills to combat operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during this year’s legislative session.
Joni Land / OPB
The press conference came just hours after federal officers shot and killed another person in Minneapolis, which led to multiple protests in that city. Kotek said she could not comment on the details of the shooting, but said the large presence of federal agents in American cities has played a role in the violence.
“We are going to continue to see violent interactions, regardless of the details, because of the escalation of the federal government,” she said. “They need to pull back on the agents who are there, work with the local government, and resolve and de-escalate the situation.”
