Nathan Isaacs from Portland’s St. Johns neighborhood said he was at a town hall representing issues including sanctuary and immigration. He wants Ron Wyden “to put his job on the line so our neighbors are safe and not ripped out of their homes by Trump deportation forces.”
Jo Mancuso / OPB
The city of Portland has joined Seattle’s lawsuit over the Trump administration’s executive order targeting sanctuary cities.
Trump signed the executive order in January. It threatened to strip federal funding from cities that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws.
Portland's entry into the lawsuit comes the same week the U.S. House passed two aggressive immigration bills, one which would cut some federal dollars from cities that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement officers.
Portland and Seattle are seeking a declaration from the courts that they are following the law.
In a statement, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said the cities are standing up for their values and the U.S. Constitution.
“It’s not merely that our cities’ values are under attack, it’s that these attacks are against the law,” he said.
In an amended complaint filed this week, the cities also seek a declaration that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from cutting off federal funds to which they are entitled.