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Gov. Tina Kotek directed Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services on May 29 to stop issuing undercover license plates to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. She said in a statement that ICE agents have “repeatedly engaged in illegitimate activities,” creating chaos and fear throughout the state.
Oregon paused issuing undercover plates to all federal agencies on April 15 to review compliance with state law. Oregon DMV issues undercover plates to 45 federal agencies—as well as some state and local agencies—and has about 1,260 such plates in circulation, according to the governor’s announcement.
In response to the April pause, the Trump administration on May 28 sued Oregon, as well as Washington, Maine and Massachusetts, which similarly stopped giving ICE undercover plates.
Kotek’s order affirms the original ban for ICE but directs DMV to resume issuing undercover plates to federal agencies that don’t primarily do immigration enforcement.
The federal government argues Oregon’s ban is unconstitutional because it will endanger ICE agents by making them easier to track. Kotek says the ban won’t endanger ICE because nonundercover plates will only identify vehicles as belonging to the federal government, not any specific agency.
The Trump administration also argues the ban is discriminatory because Oregon never stopped issuing undercover plates to state and local agencies.
