To the Philomath Community:
Recent federal actions related to immigration have generated questions about how the Philomath Police Department interacts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Since 1987, Oregon law has prohibited state and local law enforcement, including Oregon State Police, Benton County Sheriff, and Philomath Police, from directly or indirectly assisting with immigration enforcement. This also means that local officials cannot grant federal immigration authorities access to non-public spaces without a judicial warrant. In addition, Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise Act, signed into law on July 19, 2021, restricts the collection and sharing of information related to a person’s national origin, immigration or citizenship status.
Suspected violations of this law should be reported to the Sanctuary Promise Hotline at 1-844-924-STAY (1-844-924-7829). Direct access in Spanish language is available at 1- 844-6-AMPARO (1-844-626-7276).
If you are the victim of a crime or if you need assistance from police, you should not hesitate to call for help, regardless of immigration status. Everyone should feel safe in Philomath. Call 9-1-1 for emergency service, or call the Philomath Police department office at 541-929-6911 for non-emergency help Monday Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Philomath Police Department is here to enforce local and state laws and to keep all members of our community safe.
For more information and guidance on state law, visit the Oregon Department of Justice’s website. We encourage all Philomath residents to continue to be kind, look out for one another, and call for help when needed.
Christopher McMorran, Philomath mayor,
and Dave Gurski, Philomath police chief