A Yamhill County resident urged the Board of Commissioners on July 3 to ask Commissioner Ken King to publicly clarify remarks he posted on Facebook that she said described immigrants as "cheap undocumented labor." The comment came during the meeting's public-comment period at the county commissioners' formal session.

"First, referring to people as cheap undocumented labor is racist," said Rebecca Wallace, identifying herself as a Yamhill County resident. Wallace asked the board to reaffirm that "all people working in Yamhill County deserve dignity" and to call on employers who hire undocumented workers to shoulder responsibility for those decisions.

Wallace said King's characterization reduced people to their immigration status and urged the commissioner to take steps she recommended, including advocating for federal immigration reform and supporting legal-assistance nonprofits. She also cited two recent local immigration arrests and said public-safety concerns require enforcing federal law.

Commissioner King responded later in the meeting, saying parts of Wallace's remarks took his Facebook post "out of context." King told the board he believed a federal judge had issued a ruling the previous day ordering release in the case of a Mexican national identified in the meeting as "Moises," and said broader immigration policy must be addressed at state and federal levels.

King said he has advocated on immigration-related issues with state and federal lawmakers and defended the intent of his post, adding, "you can't deport without addressing the entire system."

Wallace asked the board to reaffirm respect for all community members and to avoid rhetoric that she said deepens local division. The board did not take formal action on the comments during the July 3 session.

The exchange occurred during the public-comment period; no ordinance, resolution or formal directive resulted from the discussion.