Attorney General Pam Bondi received a response this week from the governor of the first state to pass "sanctuary" legislation, after she had warned it was engaged in "policies and procedures that hinder federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States."

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, confirmed receipt of Bondi’s original letter from the prior week, writing back that she "respectfully disagree[s]" with Bondi’s assertion.

"The State of Oregon, its public officials, and its law enforcement officers do not engage in conduct that thwarts federal immigration enforcement," Kotek said, noting the Beaver State passed America’s first sanctuary state law in 1987.

State Rep. Rocky Barilla, D-Eugene, introduced the bill which was then signed by Gov. Neil Goldschmidt amid concerns police were wrongly profiling Latinos about their immigration status.

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In her response to Bondi, Kotek said in the nearly 40 years since, Oregon officials and law enforcement have not violated federal immigration law while abiding by the state policy.

"A 2018 ballot measure to repeal portions of Oregon’s federal immigration enforcement law failed when 63% of Oregon voters opposed repealing the existing law," she said, adding that the 1987 law was revisited and "strengthened" by Salem lawmakers in 2021.

Kotek cited Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s statement after the 2021 actions:

"Oregon stands for the safety, dignity, and human rights of all Oregonians," the state prosecutor said at the time, as Kotek also echoed the contention the state is acting within the law due to legal precedent from contemporary Tenth Amendment called the Anticommandeering Rule.

That rule, borne out of cases like New York v. U.S. in 1992 – which focused on requests for states to dispose of nuclear waste -- prescribes that the federal government cannot force them to administer federal programs.

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Kotek said in her letter to Bondi that she is aware of warnings that the Trump administration may pursue civil actions against public officials on grounds they are obstructing federal immigration efforts or facilitating lawbreaking.

"The state does not take on the additional expense or burden to perform federal immigration enforcement as it is the job of the federal government," Kotek went on, citing the Anticommandeering Rule.

"The state of Oregon is in compliance with federal law and will continue to follow state law. Therefore, no 'immediate initiatives' are necessary to eliminate laws that impede immigration enforcement," she concluded, noting that her letter was delivered to the Justice Department via Federal Express.

The back and forth comes as an Oregon federal judge is poised to decide on a notable immigration case in the state, and rule on whether a twice-deported Guatemalan asylum-seeking farmworker can be released from federal custody despite prior deportations.

Identified only as L.J.P.L., the foreign national had been deported during the Obama administration, and litigants argued whether he could be released so long as he makes regular check-ins at a Eugene immigration office.

Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee whom Chief Justice John Roberts also named to the FISA Court, will decide whether ICE can move forward and immediately deport "L.J.P.L.," according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is renewing the call for DNA testing for migrants to prevent trafficking at the southern border in a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security on Friday morning.

Blackburn noted the recent passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" contains funding for the practice in the billions intended for border security and immigration enforcement.

"As an essential component of that commitment, this landmark legislation provides critical resources to prevent child trafficking and child recycling—specifically allocating funds for ‘collecting fingerprints’ and ‘collecting DNA’ in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act," the senator wrote in the letter.

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"Implementation of this critical provision will be a significant step forward in our fight to protect these innocent children—many of whom were trafficked into the United States during the Biden border crisis," she added.

There have been mounting concerns over unaccompanied migrant children who have entered the United States but did not have properly vetted sponsors. 

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Millions of individuals entered the country illegally during the Biden administration, and encounters have since taken a nosedive. Still, long-term discussions about the future of border security have been top-of-mind for lawmakers after the crisis, whether it’s filling gaps at the wall or fighting back against drug cartels.

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"Familial DNA testing and fingerprinting have served as proven, effective tools that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can utilize to combat child trafficking, identify dangerous criminals, verify familial relationships, and protect these innocent children from exploitation," the letter continued.

The Trump administration announced late last month that 13,000 children had been located who had "lost or unvetted sponsors," and was nearly completed working through a 65,000-case backlog from the Biden-era border crisis. 

DHS said at the time it has led to 4,000 "investigative leads" related to possible criminal activity.

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"The evil of human trafficking cannot be overstated. It’s modern-day slavery. By leaving our borders open and even encouraging people to come here illegally, Biden enabled the largest human-trafficking operation in modern history," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a July 25 statement. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to eradicate human trafficking operations targeting the United States. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, and working together at every level of government, we can win this fight. And we will."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the letter.

"I urge you to use those funds to: (1) continue to utilize DNA verification technology—including rapid DNA testing3—to confirm familial relationships at the border; and (2) ensure that all migrants are fingerprinted upon seeking admission into the United States, including migrant children younger than 14 years of age," Blackburn further added.