Ballot Measure 105, which would overturn the state’s sanctuary law for undocumented immigrants, has received broad support from law enforcement in rural Oregon. In August, 16 sheriffs from rural counties signed a letter urging voters to vote yes on Measure 105. Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen was among the 16 who signed the letter.

In opposition, La Grande’s Racial Justice Eastern Oregon, a community group established in 2015, has been leading the campaign to support a no vote on Measure 105. Naomi Tuinstra, a founding member of RJEO who is also on the group’s leadership team, said Measure 105 would lead to more racial profiling by law enforcement.

“The point that people have been making that racial profiling does not factor into how they apprehend criminals is just false,” Tuinstra said. “(Claiming) that law enforcement is not racially profiling people is saying they are immune to implicit bias, which is impossible for the human brain. We know racial profiling happens, and that’s why 30 years ago Oregon put this law in place, to (reduce) racial profiling.”

Oregon’s sanctuary state law was established in 1987 when it passed the Oregon House and Senate with bipartisan support — only three representatives and one senator voted against the bill. The bill forbids law enforcement from using state resources or personnel to detect or apprehend persons whose only violation of the law is that of federal immigration law.

In an Aug. 30 letter to The Observer, Rasmussen stated that legal counsel had notified him that calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a person in the county jail is suspected of being undocumented would break the sanctuary state statue. Rasmussen said this law makes it more difficult to work as law enforcement.

“I am puzzled by the viewpoint that any agent of government would be required by law to shield any criminal from apprehension,” Rasmussen wrote in the letter. “My obligation is to protect good people from the depredations of criminals in Union County regardless of their country of origin, hence our support of Measure 105.”

Tuinstra said she believes Measure 105 will actually make people in Union County less safe.

“We have limited resources here, and if our local resources are going to be diverted to do the job of federal programs, then that leaves less local police to do their job in our community.”

Tuinstra also brought up that reporting of domestic violence by undocumented immigrants could be affected by the law.

“I work with a lot of community members who are undocumented,” Tuinstra said. “If they are experiencing domestic violence or any other type of crime they want to report as a victim and they are undocumented and we don’t have sanctuary law, they are going to be less likely to report those crimes — and then we have a lot more self-policing and lack of crimes being reported.”

In April 2017, after a bill to overturn the city’s sanctuary status was considered, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced there had been a 42.8 percent decrease in the number of Hispanic victims reporting rape, even as rapes reported by non-Hispanics increased by 8 percent, compared to the year prior.

The proposal for Measure 105 was filed by three Republican state representatives, including Greg Barreto (R-Cove). When asked about Barreto, Tuinstra pointed to the group helping fund the efforts to pass the measure — Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

“They are known for being very anti-immigrant and having very deep roots in white supremacist groups,” Tuinstra said. “The power that is involved in getting Measure 105 on the ballot through Greg Barreto is something we can’t compete with as a few citizens from here.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies OFIR as a hate group, stating “for almost two decades OFIR has demonized immigrants while working closely with nationally recognized anti-immigrant groups and figures. OFIR’s co-founders and current leadership also have longstanding ties to hate groups and a history of making racist statements.”

See more in Monday’s edition of The Observer.