Community leaders launch Welcoming Week 2026

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Portland and other cities in the metro area joins hundreds of cities worldwide to celebrate Welcoming Week, an annual campaign that invites all communities to host events that deepen understanding and connection among immigrant and refugee community members.

This year, the City offers a full list of programs, including:

• Community safety and resource fair led by the Portland Police Bureau.
• Roll, Walk & Belong in Pioneer Square.
• Women's empowerment summit.
• And many others.

Find all Welcoming Week 2026 events

"We are a proud sanctuary city and every resident or visitor should feel safe, valued, and supported," Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said. "To do this, I recognize that great partnership, leadership, and thoughtful policy is needed, and I am proud that so many Oregon sanctuary cities joined us today to celebrate Welcoming Week as we continue to do this important work. Portland is strong because of our diversity, our connections, and our commitment to inclusion and belonging."

How the City is making Oregon safer

At today's opening event, Brenda Alvarado, the City's immigrant affairs lead, shared some strategies in how businesses and families can keep each other and neighbors safe.

The most visual unification strategy is a poster campaign to provide more awareness that is designed for doorways and storefronts windows of churches daycares, grocery stores, community centers and multi-family buildings.

"Oregon's sanctuary state laws and the City's sanctuary city laws are our most powerful defense and tool to protect and keep our immigrants and refugees," Alvarado said. "We are encouraging businesses, churches, schools and non-profits to join us in a poster campaign by printing and posting this simple poster in street-facing windows or breakrooms to promote awareness of what to do if you see a Portlander being taken by ICE."

The City's Immigrant and Refugee program is joining a poster campaign by the Oregon State Department of Justice to promote Oregon's status as a sanctuary state.

"If Portlanders see something, record it and try to get information like the person's name. And more important, call the Portland Immigrants Rights Coalition hotline so that they can swiftly swoop in and have our justice system immediately get to work," said Maritza Kritz, co-chair of the City's New Portlanders Policy Commission.

City offers resources to welcome immigrants and refugees

The City's website offers many resources, including:

• Know your rights and sanctuary city protections: A website explaining laws that protect and support the immigrants who contribute so much to the health, prosperity, and vibrancy of our community.
• Welcome Guide for New Portlanders: A welcome guide for new Portlanders available in multiple languages with information on public services, health, education, and community supports.
• Free and low-cost legal services: A website to help you find lawyers, attorneys, and legal clinics who support immigrants and refugees - including free or low-cost lawyers:
• Proud Sanctuary City posters: Find them in multiple languages.

In September 2026, the Trump administration ordered National Guard troops into Portland to quell what had been, for months, a small nightly protest outside the ICE facility located in South Portland.

Portland leaders went to court to stop the deployment and Portland City Council responded with the Protect Portland Initiative. This resolution reaffirmed Portland's status as a Sanctuary City and strengthened support for immigrants and refugees.

About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America and its members, Welcoming Week provides individuals and communities the opportunity to proclaim welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all.

About Welcoming America

Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to change systems and culture by providing communities the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive.