FILE - The Columbia County Jail is pictured Saturday, March 30, 2019, in St. Helens, Ore.
Bradley W. Parks / OPB
A Northwest Oregon county jail has agreed to change its policies and train its staff in response to a lawsuit relying on state sanctuary laws that seeks to block the U.S. Marshals service from taking advantage of the county’s resources to detain immigrants.
The settlement from last week marks the culmination of a January 2026 lawsuit filed by the Cottage Grove-based Rural Organizing Project, an immigrant rights advocacy group that has taken a leading role in enforcing Oregon’s laws blocking law enforcement in the state from enforcing federal immigration law.
Columbia County officials agreed to remove U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an “authorized user” under its agreement allowing it to earn money from detaining people on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service. The settlement also promises to refuse to hold anyone who solely has a charge such as illegal entry or illegal re-entry in custody.
“The purpose of Oregon’s sanctuary law is to make sure everyone can fully participate in our communities, regardless of where they were born or how they got here. When people become afraid to seek help, or are not treated fairly, that makes our entire community less safe,” Martha Ortega, director of immigrant centers at the Rural Organizing Project, said in a statement. “We will continue to hold jurisdictions accountable to Oregon’s sanctuary law as we work to create rural communities that are welcoming and inclusive for everyone.”
The May 14 agreement concerning the St. Helens-based Columbia County Jail, run by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, marks the second legal win secured under state sanctuary laws since 2021 by the organization. Five years ago, lawmakers strengthened the decades-old law and empowered Oregonians to file civil suits against public agencies in Oregon who violate the protections. Another ongoing lawsuit filed by immigrant rights advocates in December 2025 makes similar allegations against the Multnomah County Jail.
Supporters of law enforcement agreements with the U.S. Marshals Service say they can be a strong mechanism for providing funding to local law enforcement struggling to make ends meet, but opponents have characterized them as a loophole to sanctuary laws. Columbia County’s Sheriff’s Office had entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Marshals service in March 2024, according to the lawsuit.
The Rural Organizing Project’s January 2026 lawsuit against Columbia County and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office pointed to an authorization from the beginning of the Trump administration for U.S. Department of Justice employees and law enforcement officials.
The memo allowed the U.S. Marshals Service to perform the functions of an immigration officer under the powers of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That would include apprehending immigrants for civil violations without criminal charges, the lawsuit argued, or by detaining individuals who were charged with illegal entry under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
“This agreement provides clear guidance moving forward and ensures our policies remain consistent with Oregon law while continuing to prioritize public safety,” Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley said in a statement. “The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office remains focused on protecting our community, supporting victims, and operating a safe and professionally managed jail. Our deputies and corrections staff will continue serving the people of Columbia County with integrity, accountability, and a commitment to public safety.”
If any of the county’s policies regarding the settlement change, it would be required to provide notice to the Rural Organizing Project. Grace Badik, an attorney at Oregon Law Center who represented the organization, praised the outcome.
“This settlement is a step in the right direction,” Badik said in a statement. “Columbia County is setting a positive example by taking concrete actions to uphold the law and protect the safety and civil rights of all community members.”
This isn’t the first time the Rural Organizing Project has gone to court to enforce Oregon’s sanctuary law. The organization in 2024 helped win a court order barring the city of Cottage Grove and its police from collaborating with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration law.
In this month’s case, however, the organization also secured assurances that the Columbia County jail will stop requiring individuals to declare their country of birth, remove a checkbox labeled “illegal” from their booking sheet, translate a voluntary notification warning for consulates into Spanish and allow individuals to refuse to complete this form.
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