Civil Rights

A new rule in Oregon prohibits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining people at state courthouses without a judicial arrest warrant.

The rule also protects people going to or from court proceedings from being stopped in nearby entryways, sidewalks and parking lots.

Some in Congress, including U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, want to codify an ICE policy that limits arrests at "sensitive locations" like schools and hospitals into federal law. They also want to expand it to include courthouses.

Legislation sponsored by a Democrat that would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers is finding some support across the aisle, but many Republicans are still reluctant to get behind the measure.

While the impeachment of Donald Trump was at the top of mind at Gearhart's congressional town hall Monday, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici fielded questions about the federal deficit, foreign policy and her position on equal rights.

But overall it was the topic of civility that dominated evening, the fifth of sixth town hall events in the state.

As Democrats in the House of Representatives begin an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, Western Washington County residents packed the Cornelius Public Library on Wednesday, Oct. 2, to ask questions of U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici.

Multiple people asked Bonamici about the topic that has recently dominated national news: impeachment.

"We have a responsibility to hold this administration accountable," Bonamici said.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission continues to file charges and lawsuits but is not pursuing its mandate to combat discrimination as vigorously as it could because it does not have a full complement of commissioners, experts say.