FILE - Portland City Hall pictured in November 2024.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
As the federal government’s crackdown on immigration rattles Pacific Northwest communities, Portland leaders are looking to help cover the cost of legal services for people navigating the country’s immigration system.
Portland City Councilors advanced a plan Thursday to use $150,000 in city dollars to cover legal services for roughly 75 immigrants and refugees.
“This council has many times shown that we are united here, we’re a sanctuary city, a safe haven for those facing persecution,” said Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney, who introduced the policy. “But having those principles means that in a time of crisis, we also need to act.”
Portland has the largest immigrant and refugee population in Oregon – according to the city, nearly 14% of residents are immigrants.
The Portland metro area has seen a surge in activity from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the past year, based on federal data and crowdsourced information from members of the public. That activity appeared to peak in October and November, and has slightly slowed in the months since.
But according to advocates for Portland’s immigrant communities, those actions have left a mark, sowing fear and distrust among Portlanders who’ve seen immigrant families torn apart and shot at by ICE officers.
The council proposal would take money from the city’s Legal Priorities Reserve Fund, a pot of about $850,000 reserved for unexpected legal expenses, and give it to SOAR Immigration Legal Services — that’s a nonprofit that offers legal services to refugees and immigrants seeking asylum, citizenship, or other legal protections in the U.S.
According to Pirtle-Guiney, SOAR was recommended to her by the New Portlanders Policy Commission, a volunteer board that advises the city on how policies impact immigrant and refugee communities. Portland has the largest immigrant and refugee population in Oregon – according to the city, nearly 14% of the city’s population are immigrants.
“I asked them what some practical, low-cost ways were that the city council could meaningfully respond to the current moment,” she said.
The agreement is similar to one adopted by the city council in 2018, during President Donald Trump’s first term. At the time, councilors approved a $500,000 grant for Catholic Charities of Oregon for immigration legal services.
Bernal Cruz Muñoz moved to the U.S. from Guatemala more than 30 years ago and is a member of the New Portlanders Policy Commission. He was one of more than a dozen people testifying in support of the policy Thursday.
“We currently need this funding now because our communities are under stress and they’re experiencing active trauma,” said Muñoz. “Some people aren’t leaving their houses even if they have status in the U.S. This constant fear is affecting folks’ mental health and our collective well-being.”
Some councilors wanted to act faster to get the money out the door. Councilor Eric Zimmerman proposed turning the proposal into an “emergency ordinance,” meaning it could go into effect immediately, instead of having to wait for a second vote later this month.
But it takes nine councilors’ support to advance an emergency ordinance, which Zimmerman lacked. Councilor Candace Avalos said she wanted more time to propose “tweaks” to the policy after a recent meeting with various immigrant rights groups.
“I do think that we need to give more time in this process to bring in other immigration stakeholders who are leading our region’s rapid response network,” said Avalos. “I just want to make sure that we’re creating resources for that work too.”
Councilor Angelita Morillo, the only immigrant on city council, also raised concerns about prioritizing one nonprofit providing immigrant services over others.
Councilors agreed to wait and vote on the proposal next week, when Avalos and other councilors may suggest changes.
