SALEM – Courts in Oregon could not ask criminal defendants about their immigration status under a bill approved along party lines in the Oregon Senate Wednesday.

The action sends House Bill 2932 to Democratic Gov. Kate Brown. It earlier passed the House in April, also along party lines.

Supporters said people in the country illegally sometimes skip court dates because they are afraid their undocumented status will be subject them to deportation, regardless of whether they are found guilty.

By not allowing courts to ask the question, “it keeps the focus on the alleged crime, and not the immigration status of the individual,” said Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene.

Under the bill, a judge would still have to inform defendants that conviction of a crime could result in “removal proceedings, deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States or denial of naturalization.” However, those consequences can also apply to non-citizens who are in the country legally, such as green card holders or those in the country on work visas.

Republicans painted the measure as an example of Democrats being soft on crime.

“It is an obvious attempt to make concessions for immigrants during a criminal trial to protect their alien-status in Oregon and is not beneficial to law-abiding citizens,” said Sen. Alan Olsen, R-Canby.