Ban on housing discrimination based on immigration status passes Oregon legislature

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After passing the Oregon House on Monday, a bipartisan bill that would ban housing discrimination based on a tenant’s immigration status is heading to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk to potentially be signed into state law.

Senate Bill 599 has several provisions. This includes banning landlords from inquiring about or disclosing the immigration status of housing applicants, tenants or household members.

Additionally, the bill modernizes identity verification requirements by allowing different kinds of identification forms that landlords can accept — including Social Security cards, green cards, birth certificates, taxpayer ID number cards and immigration visas.

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According to Representatives Ricki Ruiz (D-Gresham), Lesly Muñoz (D-Woodburn) and Nathan Sosa (D-Greater Hillsboro), the bill would close a gap in state law by explicitly banning housing discrimination based on immigration status.

“This bill is about more than documents — it’s about dignity,” said Rep. Ruiz, who is a chief sponsor of the bill with Sen. Wlnsvey Campos (D-Aloha). “No Oregonian should have to live in fear that where they were born could cost them their home. This bill makes it clear: housing is a human right, and discrimination has no place in Oregon.”

Just before the bill passed the House, Gov. Kotek was asked about the legislation during a Monday press availability, where the governor stated, “We’ll look at the bill. Certainly, want to make sure people have access to housing and I think it had bipartisan support so, I look forward to seeing it.”

The bill ended up passing the Oregon legislature with bipartisan support from Republicans, including, Rep. Gregory Smith (R-Heppner), Rep. Cyrus Javadi (R-Tillamook), Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo), and Rep. Kevin Mannix (R-Salem).

However, the bill faced opposition from other Republicans, including Rep. Alek Skarlatos (R-Winston), who released a statement on Monday taking issue with the provision banning landlords from disclosing a tenant’s immigration status.

According to Skarlatos, the bill would put landlords in a position to potentially violate Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1324, a federal law banning “alien smuggling, domestic transportation of unauthorized aliens, concealing or harboring unauthorized aliens to enter the United States.”

“This bill is yet another example of our state government putting dangerous illegal immigrants ahead of law-abiding Oregonians,” said Rep. Skarlatos. “This bill reaches a level of absurdity in mandating landlords commit a federal crime to protect even the most violent illegal immigrants and sends a dangerous message: in Oregon lawlessness is protected and speech is policed.”

Meanwhile, some House Democrats argue the bill would provide necessary housing protections for all Oregonians regardless of their immigration status.

“For too long, our immigrant communities have lived under a cloud of uncertainty and fear,” said Rep. Muñoz. “Today, we take a powerful step forward to ensure safe, stable housing is accessible to all Oregonians — regardless of their background.”

Rep. Sosa added, “At a time in our country when immigrant communities are under attack, every Oregonian has the right to feel safe in their home, regardless of their immigration status.”