Statement from Mayor Wilson and City Council Leadership on Federal Enforcement Funding

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Today, Congress advanced a nearly $70 billion federal package focused on immigration enforcement with no meaningful accountability attached to how those funds will be used.

Portland has been clear and consistent: unchecked federal enforcement does not create safety. It undermines it. Portlanders still feel the harm from last fall's ICE surge where families were torn apart, workers detained on their way to work, and immigrant communities in fear of leaving their homes. When federal agents operate in our neighborhoods without identification, without warrants, and without meaningful accountability, they undermine constitutional standards and destabilize the very communities they are sworn to protect.

Portlanders have witnessed excessive and indiscriminate use of force by federal agents against peaceful protesters, children, and seniors, and we have seen residents detained without identification or explanation. This conduct violates constitutional standards and erodes the trust communities rely on to stay safe. Cities like ours continue to experience the ongoing impacts of aggressive and unregulated federal actions, and we cannot accept a system in which federal agencies operate without guardrails, transparency, or regard for the people who live here.

As Portland has previously joined with other cities to demand, we continue to call on Congress and the Administration to impose enforceable oversight, transparent reporting requirements, and clear limits on the use of force for all federal law enforcement.

Portland remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting all who call this city home. No matter where you were born, what language you speak, your race, ethnicity, or immigration status, you belong here. The City of Portland is committed to serving all our residents with dignity, respect, and safety.

To Portlanders: City leadership wants you to know that we are not where we were last fall. The City of Portland has taken concrete steps to strengthen our preparedness and protect our immigrant communities. Including hiring the city's first Immigrant Affairs Lead to develop, implement, and oversee the city's sanctuary protections. In the first two months with having filled this role, the City has developed stronger protocols for City employees and created emergency planning frameworks to support impacted communities, including conducting an exercise to test and refine our response. These steps reflect our commitment to ensuring that Portland remains a place where all residents, regardless of immigration status, are afforded their constitutional rights. We have been talking with cities like Minneapolis, San Diego, and Chicago sharing what we learned and taking their lessons learned. One of the clearest lessons from the fall is that we are strongest when we stand together. We will continue to work in partnership to protect our most vulnerable community members and to uphold the values that define Portland.

Learn how Portland is standing up for our community while we work with our federal partners at portland.gov/federal.