WEBVTT 1 00:07:33.750 --> 00:07:34.223 Good morning. 2 00:07:34.673 --> 00:07:35.430 Good morning. 3 00:07:36.024 --> 00:07:41.761 We're going to call this meeting of the Portland City Council Committee of the Whole to order. 4 00:07:42.355 --> 00:07:46.598 It is October 29th, 2026, at 9:31 AM. 5 00:07:47.168 --> 00:07:47.867 32 AM. 6 00:07:48.762 --> 00:07:50.817 Rebecca, will you please call the roll? 7 00:07:51.778 --> 00:07:52.235 Good morning. 8 00:07:53.146 --> 00:07:53.307 Clark? 9 00:07:54.129 --> 00:07:54.418 Green? 10 00:07:55.803 --> 00:07:56.238 Present. 11 00:07:57.012 --> 00:07:57.319 Zimmerman? 12 00:07:59.267 --> 00:07:59.574 Avalos? 13 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:00.057 Present. 14 00:08:00.814 --> 00:08:01.185 Dunphy? 15 00:08:01.362 --> 00:08:01.490 Here. 16 00:08:01.846 --> 00:08:02.151 Smith? 17 00:08:02.975 --> 00:08:03.168 Here. 18 00:08:05.007 --> 00:08:05.538 Pirtle-Guiney? 19 00:08:07.185 --> 00:08:07.540 Ryan? 20 00:08:07.829 --> 00:08:08.185 Here. 21 00:08:09.185 --> 00:08:09.668 Koyama Lane? 22 00:08:10.249 --> 00:08:10.362 Here. 23 00:08:10.814 --> 00:08:11.281 Murillo? 24 00:08:13.148 --> 00:08:13.237 Novick. 25 00:08:13.656 --> 00:08:14.396 Not absent. 26 00:08:15.089 --> 00:08:15.396 Kanal. 27 00:08:15.815 --> 00:08:15.896 Here. 28 00:08:17.668 --> 00:08:19.538 Christopher, will you please read the statement of conduct? 29 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:20.904 Good morning. 30 00:08:20.954 --> 00:08:23.310 Welcome to the meeting of the Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole. 31 00:08:23.471 --> 00:08:33.798 To testify before this committee in person or virtually, you must sign up in advance on the committee agenda at www.portland.gov/council/agenda/committee-whole or by calling 311. 32 00:08:33.846 --> 00:08:36.125 Information on engaging with the committee can be found at this link. 33 00:08:36.609 --> 00:08:39.339 Registration for virtual testimony closes 1 hour prior to the meeting. 34 00:08:39.677 --> 00:08:41.745 In-person testifiers must sign up before the agenda item is heard. 35 00:08:41.796 --> 00:08:47.625 If public testimony will be taken when called upon an item, individuals may testify for 3 minutes unless the Chair states otherwise. 36 00:08:47.977 --> 00:08:49.725 Your microphone will be muted when your time is over. 37 00:08:50.125 --> 00:08:51.038 The Chair preserves order. 38 00:08:51.104 --> 00:08:57.644 Disruptive conduct such as shouting, refusing to conclude your testimony when your time is up, or interrupting others' testimony or committee deliberations will not be allowed. 39 00:08:57.932 --> 00:08:59.503 If you cause a disruption, a warning will be given. 40 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:01.715 Further disruption results in ejection from the meeting. 41 00:09:02.083 --> 00:09:05.097 Anyone who fails to leave once ejected is subject to arrest for trespass. 42 00:09:05.466 --> 00:09:08.224 Additionally, the committee may take a short recess and reconvene virtually. 43 00:09:08.495 --> 00:09:10.596 Your testimony should address the matter being considered. 44 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:12.230 When testifying, state your name for the record. 45 00:09:12.278 --> 00:09:17.613 If you're a lobbyist, identify the organization you represent, and virtual testifiers should unmute themselves when the clerk calls your name. 46 00:09:17.807 --> 00:09:18.113 Thank you. 47 00:09:20.615 --> 00:09:21.341 Thank you, Christopher. 48 00:09:21.504 --> 00:09:25.875 Colleagues, today we have a pretty packed agenda, but nothing on our agenda today is getting a vote. 49 00:09:26.263 --> 00:09:28.903 Um, there's no legislative items that require a vote. 50 00:09:29.482 --> 00:09:34.941 Um, we do have some space and time in the weeks ahead, so some of these items may be continued forward. 51 00:09:35.375 --> 00:09:56.278 But our goal today is to get through the presentation and Q&A on, uh, the citywide immigrant affairs lead presentation, as well as the presentation on chemical weapons use, have about 5 minutes for anyone to float any potential legislation that may be coming up, um, that could require Committee of the Whole, uh, consideration, and then get through some of our testimony. 52 00:09:56.326 --> 00:10:05.918 We've put in the, uh, in the signup form for people when they're testifying that we can probably get through 15, maybe 17 or 18 folks, uh, for testimony. 53 00:10:06.352 --> 00:10:09.133 And after that, we might continue that public hearing item on. 54 00:10:09.711 --> 00:10:21.414 Um, in order to do that, I might be giving some specific time throughout this process, we've got about, I think, 20 minutes for the presentation plus 25 for Q&A on the citywide immigrant affairs lead. 55 00:10:21.687 --> 00:10:27.496 I think it's 35 and 40 respectively on the other presentation on chemical weapons as well. 56 00:10:28.605 --> 00:10:32.970 So we're going to try to hold to that just to make sure that we're not cutting off testimony at the end. 57 00:10:33.628 --> 00:10:40.898 And then we will have the opportunity, pending of course our presenters' schedules, to invite them back over the next couple weeks to continue this conversation. 58 00:10:40.946 --> 00:10:42.615 There is a little bit of space in the schedule. 59 00:10:42.663 --> 00:10:42.774 Thank you. 60 00:10:43.765 --> 00:10:47.359 Um, can you please call item 1? 61 00:10:48.371 --> 00:10:52.323 Item 1, committee chair updates, document number 2026-388. 62 00:10:53.690 --> 00:10:58.945 All right, so colleagues, we have, um, I'm going to be brief with the chair update today. 63 00:10:59.475 --> 00:11:07.283 We've got, um, a few things that have been moved around, um, with the, um, knowledge that next week we are meeting. 64 00:11:07.347 --> 00:11:12.384 This committee is the only committee that's meeting next week, but because of HVAC work At City Hall. 65 00:11:12.917 --> 00:11:13.822 The meeting will not be here. 66 00:11:13.888 --> 00:11:15.149 It will be entirely virtual. 67 00:11:15.667 --> 00:11:21.243 And because of that and a couple other things, we've got a few things within November got moved around. 68 00:11:21.565 --> 00:11:28.572 I'll also note that the vice chairs of the committee, Councilor Ryan and Councilor Koyama Lane, will be chairing the meeting on November 12th. 69 00:11:28.620 --> 00:11:30.033 They'll be calling in remotely for that. 70 00:11:31.611 --> 00:11:34.687 So that's basically what's changed on the first page. 71 00:11:34.751 --> 00:11:39.178 We've also added a couple more appointments that have been requested by the administration in December. 72 00:11:39.292 --> 00:11:39.469 Thank you. 73 00:11:40.010 --> 00:11:45.785 There's no changes on either of the next 2, uh, 3 sections, 2, 3, and 4. 74 00:11:46.332 --> 00:11:51.504 I will note that we had a request early in the year to discuss public arts and monuments. 75 00:11:51.955 --> 00:11:59.376 We have not scheduled that, partially because nobody has really taken on sort of what does that conversation look like. 76 00:11:59.522 --> 00:12:02.798 If anyone is interested in that, I'd be happy to add them to this list. 77 00:12:02.958 --> 00:12:06.815 I know that Councilor Ryan has, uh, has a lot of experience in this area. 78 00:12:07.224 --> 00:12:07.808 Uh, as well. 79 00:12:07.937 --> 00:12:12.217 But if anyone would like to be added, let me know, and that can be for planning for something in January. 80 00:12:13.003 --> 00:12:19.110 And then I did want to note that Councilor Clark let me know that she couldn't be here in time for the, uh, report today. 81 00:12:19.174 --> 00:12:20.232 She has a conflict. 82 00:12:20.297 --> 00:12:24.802 And so, um, I won't— we won't be doing the committee update on Public Works this week. 83 00:12:24.865 --> 00:12:31.357 We will just kind of continue our rotation into next week for, uh, Chair Novick of Community and Public Safety next week. 84 00:12:32.144 --> 00:12:38.107 Um, but I did want to just briefly say that this week at, at the, um, Public Works Committee, we had 2 items. 85 00:12:38.235 --> 00:12:47.711 One is an ordinance that was referred to the full council that will allow a little more flexibility for Portlanders to paint the curb directly outside and adjacent to their driveway. 86 00:12:48.351 --> 00:12:55.375 And the other, um, was a discussion with no legislative item relate— just continuing our conversation on automated— sorry, autonomous vehicles. 87 00:12:56.352 --> 00:12:58.308 Um, that's pretty much all I have this week. 88 00:12:58.373 --> 00:12:59.768 Not a whole lot new here. 89 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:02.476 Are there any questions before we move on to the next item? 90 00:13:05.956 --> 00:13:08.148 All right, we'll move ahead. 91 00:13:08.404 --> 00:13:09.741 Rebecca, will you please call item 2? 92 00:13:10.596 --> 00:13:16.528 Item 2, report from citywide immigration affairs lead, document number 2026-381. 93 00:13:18.643 --> 00:13:20.403 Thank you so much. 94 00:13:20.677 --> 00:13:24.630 We have with us our citywide immigrant affairs lead, Brenda Alvarado. 95 00:13:25.283 --> 00:13:28.207 Thank you so much for being here, and I'll, uh, hand it over to you. 96 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:32.597 I'll start us out with just with some opening comments while Brenna gets set up. 97 00:13:33.143 --> 00:13:42.980 Uh, want to keep in mind that the Sanctuary City Ordinance and the Portland, uh, Protect Portland Initiative was passed in October of 2025. 98 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:58.445 It was important for the city to stand with our immigrant neighbors, uh, reaffirm our status as a sanctuary city, and put protocols in place for reporting interactions with federal immigration enforcement officials. 99 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:04.681 At the time of passing, there was no funding allocated for the coordination of this work. 100 00:14:05.451 --> 00:14:13.785 The mayor's office provided funding to bring on a coordinator, Brenda, who has— who was hired in February of 2026. 101 00:14:14.346 --> 00:14:18.964 While she started in the mayor's office, she is now working in the administration office. 102 00:14:19.716 --> 00:14:23.371 Today, Brenda will be sharing her work to date. 103 00:14:23.869 --> 00:14:35.941 This content makes up the majority of the required she will be releasing the report next week following feedback from this work session. 104 00:14:36.711 --> 00:14:51.828 While we are conscious that we do not have the capacity to add new work beyond what the ordinance and resolution has called for, we do want to ensure that the yearly report is in alignment with council's expectations. 105 00:14:52.582 --> 00:14:56.029 We look forward to the conversation today, and now I'll turn it over to Brenda. 106 00:14:56.110 --> 00:14:56.719 Thank you, Council President Jamie Dunphy. 107 00:14:57.592 --> 00:15:02.413 The first-ever Immigrant Affairs Lead for the city, to walk us through her presentation. 108 00:15:03.312 --> 00:15:04.147 Thank you so much. 109 00:15:04.451 --> 00:15:06.985 Thank you, City Administrator, for that kind introduction. 110 00:15:07.499 --> 00:15:12.296 Chair Kanal, for the invitation to present, and the councilors for the opportunity to share the work. 111 00:15:13.739 --> 00:15:18.294 My computer just restarted just to like— because I don't have enough cortisol. 112 00:15:18.663 --> 00:15:18.969 Sorry. 113 00:15:20.397 --> 00:15:21.855 Thank you for the opportunity to present. 114 00:15:22.081 --> 00:15:25.389 I It's been a year. 115 00:15:25.825 --> 00:15:33.826 October 15th, 2025 is when the sanctuary ordinance and the Protect Portland Initiative resolution was passed. 116 00:15:35.515 --> 00:15:37.937 And I guess I should start off with my name. 117 00:15:37.985 --> 00:15:39.042 It's helpful to have these signs. 118 00:15:39.123 --> 00:15:42.903 My name is Brenda Alvarado, the City of Portland Immigrant Affairs Lead. 119 00:15:43.596 --> 00:15:49.111 And when these 2 pieces of legislation were passed, I was not with the city. 120 00:15:49.256 --> 00:15:58.596 I was actually with advocates outside of the ICE facility supporting immigrants who had ICE appointments families and individuals who are trying to find their loved ones. 121 00:15:59.284 --> 00:16:08.381 And I think it's important to really understand where the mindset was for councilors as well as the community in passing these pieces of legislation. 122 00:16:08.429 --> 00:16:22.306 And so with the intent of trying to understand where you all had, uh, the intent you all had in passing this legislation, I actually reviewed the, the hearing of when this legislation was passed and next slide, please. 123 00:16:26.001 --> 00:16:29.312 And at that time, we did not know, but Operation Black Rose was underway. 124 00:16:30.323 --> 00:16:45.423 And there was a testimony from a Portlander who had shared that the first bus had arrived at McAdam, and that bus is a bus that transports immigrants from the Portland ICE facility— Portland processing facility— to Tacoma, Washington. 125 00:16:46.094 --> 00:16:50.548 And she had expressed just the, the real fear of what that meant for our community. 126 00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:57.927 And I remember being an advocate outside of the ICE facility and seeing that bus and the dread and anxiety of what that bus meant. 127 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:02.244 That bus meant that it would— it was going to be more windows broken. 128 00:17:02.756 --> 00:17:09.431 It meant that we were going to have more teenagers show up outside of our— outside of the ICE facility trying to find their parents. 129 00:17:09.592 --> 00:17:15.800 It meant that children were going to go home and not have one or two parents there because they were taken. 130 00:17:16.314 --> 00:17:19.905 Um, It meant that more families were going to be separated. 131 00:17:20.563 --> 00:17:28.323 And a lot has changed since the year that these 2 pieces of legislation that has passed, but that bus is now a regular occurrence. 132 00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:31.257 It is coming weekly, if not multiple times a week. 133 00:17:31.946 --> 00:17:38.584 And detentions, despite it being less visible on social media, it is increasing. 134 00:17:39.162 --> 00:17:53.688 And so in October 2025, Operation Black Rose was initiative from the federal government in which they sent 100 federal agents to the Portland metro area to increase immigration enforcement statewide. 135 00:17:54.912 --> 00:18:00.490 To show in comparison, the first 8 months of 2025, there's 462 people detained. 136 00:18:01.071 --> 00:18:06.328 In the first month of Operation Black Rose, that was— there was 362 Oregonians who were detained. 137 00:18:06.376 --> 00:18:11.932 So the increase of federal presence had an immediate impact of destruction in our community. 138 00:18:12.580 --> 00:18:15.513 At that time, PERC was reporting 15 to 45 detentions per day, and the National Guard threat was looming. 139 00:18:15.563 --> 00:18:15.743 Thank you. 140 00:18:19.050 --> 00:18:23.671 Today we are continuing to see detentions, but the administration has gotten smarter. 141 00:18:23.895 --> 00:18:36.690 They are using administrative tactics to entrap immigrant communities, and anytime an immigrant is making a mistake because of these entrapments, the penalty is harsh and severe and likely a detention order. 142 00:18:37.540 --> 00:18:44.732 And we are seeing national tactics show up locally, including the mega master hearing, airport detentions, and we are seeing increased surveillance. 143 00:18:44.780 --> 00:18:44.876 Thank you. 144 00:18:45.855 --> 00:18:47.634 The federal surge threat looms. 145 00:18:47.747 --> 00:18:58.214 We're seeing nationally early in October there was an uptick of immigration enforcement here, and we are seeing that the, the increase in enforcement is popping up in cities across the nation. 146 00:18:58.310 --> 00:19:09.949 And the ability to increase the immigration enforcement capacity is, is quick and easy for the federal administration, who's using every resource possible to separate our communities and our family. 147 00:19:10.509 --> 00:19:10.846 Next slide, please. 148 00:19:10.911 --> 00:19:11.007 Thank you. 149 00:19:15.134 --> 00:19:17.900 The first slide here demonstrates just that. 150 00:19:18.045 --> 00:19:21.315 And so this information is from the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition. 151 00:19:21.411 --> 00:19:25.499 It is the entity that's monitoring immigration enforcement for the state. 152 00:19:25.898 --> 00:19:29.425 It is a self-reported hotline, so often these numbers are underreported. 153 00:19:30.531 --> 00:19:35.260 And so if you see that long line, that is where we're at in 2026. 154 00:19:35.517 --> 00:19:38.451 And then that shorter, thicker line is 2025. 155 00:19:38.804 --> 00:19:44.823 Continuously, we are seeing higher amounts, 50% increase in the number of people who are detained specifically. 156 00:19:44.871 --> 00:19:48.895 So for the first 8 months of 2025, we saw 462 detentions. 157 00:19:48.977 --> 00:19:53.858 In 2026, in that same 8-month period, there was over 700. 158 00:19:54.311 --> 00:19:57.471 And so advocates are wondering, how is this possible? 159 00:19:58.002 --> 00:19:59.792 How is this going on when we're not seeing it? 160 00:19:59.938 --> 00:20:03.517 And it is because, as I mentioned, the administration is getting smarter. 161 00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:04.369 Next slide, please. 162 00:20:08.483 --> 00:20:20.532 And this information is from the Data Deportation Defense Project, but it was also taken from an Oregonian article that was highlighting the administrative arrests by ICE in Oregon that has seen a significant uptick since January 20th. 163 00:20:20.965 --> 00:20:26.193 If you can see, um, when President Trump came into office, you saw an immediate impact. 164 00:20:26.258 --> 00:20:38.894 And since this past, uh, year, we are seeing a continuing increase of the federal government using the federal administration, the processes, to continue to entrap immigrant communities. 165 00:20:39.008 --> 00:20:39.376 Next slide. 166 00:20:43.550 --> 00:20:54.193 And so, as I mentioned, as I mentioned, uh, detentions are happening at a higher rate, but we're not seeing it. 167 00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.840 And these are called detention pipelines. 168 00:20:56.019 --> 00:21:01.164 One of the detention pipelines that was happening nationally and now we're seeing here locally in Portland is a mega master hearing. 169 00:21:01.679 --> 00:21:12.575 A mega master hearing is a tactic in which asylum seekers, because there's such a significant backlog, are having their hearings rescheduled with little notice and as early as years in advance and months in advance. 170 00:21:12.702 --> 00:21:19.352 So you may be an asylum seeker and think your hearing is not until 2029, and the administration has moved it to tomorrow. 171 00:21:19.961 --> 00:21:35.759 And you are operating and moving around in society thinking that you have complied and are continuing to have your deportation protections from having an active asylum case, but you don't know that you missed your hearing and thus an order of deportation has been ordered, has been issued for you. 172 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:42.490 And this national tactic we saw some really concerning implications in Chicago. 173 00:21:42.875 --> 00:21:51.932 58% Of those who had, 10,000 people who had these hearings, 58% were ruled absent because they were not notified. 174 00:21:52.028 --> 00:21:58.167 Because these hearings, which are often 12 to 20 people, are being packed up as much as 100. 175 00:21:59.145 --> 00:22:08.508 And so not only are folks not getting notice of their hearings, but they're showing up to the hearings and there's so much chaos that they're not hearing their name and they're not being properly moved forward. 176 00:22:08.811 --> 00:22:10.292 Councilor Smith, marked as present. 177 00:22:10.857 --> 00:22:14.489 And so that is one of the main tactics that we're seeing here in Portland. 178 00:22:14.651 --> 00:22:23.936 Portland has— Oregon has one immigration court that serves the state and also neighboring states, um, and it has 2 mega hearings per week on average that we're seeing from advocates. 179 00:22:24.438 --> 00:22:25.133 Next slide, please. 180 00:22:28.477 --> 00:22:31.769 Uh, the other detention pipeline is temporary protected status. 181 00:22:31.817 --> 00:22:48.152 So temporary protected status is, uh, a protection that is, uh, at the discretion of the Department of, um, of the Secretary of State, and it's a protection that is given to nationals who are from countries where there is some sort of unrest. 182 00:22:48.943 --> 00:22:55.144 And it is— what is given to these individuals is protection from deportation and work authorization. 183 00:22:55.807 --> 00:23:02.892 And when the Trump administration came into power, there was close to 1.2 million people from 17 countries with TPS status. 184 00:23:03.506 --> 00:23:14.960 Since then, there is only 4 countries that continue to have this status, leaving all of these families folks with little to no pathways to adjust their status. 185 00:23:15.473 --> 00:23:20.394 And what's concerning is Haiti, for example, has currently— the State Department says it's a level 4. 186 00:23:20.766 --> 00:23:25.752 US citizens should not be traveling there because of the unrest and how unsafe it is. 187 00:23:25.946 --> 00:23:33.077 But at the same time, the administration has revoked the temporary protected status for these, for the Haitian community. 188 00:23:33.510 --> 00:23:39.064 And so you're seeing immigrants who are being forced in a position that they are having to return to countries that are unsafe. 189 00:23:39.132 --> 00:23:39.250 Thank you. 190 00:23:40.692 --> 00:23:44.623 And, and, or stay here and be in the shadows and, and be targeted by the administration. 191 00:23:44.736 --> 00:23:52.039 And so, uh, that is one of the pipelines that we're seeing, um, that are resulting in, in community members losing some necessary safeguards. 192 00:23:52.923 --> 00:23:53.631 Uh, next slide, please. 193 00:23:56.137 --> 00:24:01.070 Uh, there is not discrimination that's happening for those who are being detained. 194 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:07.740 Uh, 75 different countries, um, nationals that were detained here in Oregon from 2025 to 2026. 195 00:24:07.824 --> 00:24:24.374 The majority of them is Mexican citizens with Guatemalans, Venezuelan, but we saw in the first year of the Trump administration that there was a priority with the Latino community, and we're seeing that it's expanded as they're continuing to hit these very high and arbitrary detention quotas. 196 00:24:25.238 --> 00:24:25.840 Next slide, please. 197 00:24:28.645 --> 00:24:41.936 And to see the current landscape and to ensure that our current protocols and policies are reflective of what the harm is right now is this is where detentions are happening location-wise. 198 00:24:41.984 --> 00:24:49.343 So 24% is the biggest percentage in this from July to September, and that is at big box stores. 199 00:24:50.338 --> 00:25:01.503 Innovation Law Lab sued the federal government earlier this year in spring because Portland— Oregonians were able to document that ICE was making arrests without warrants. 200 00:25:01.808 --> 00:25:05.615 Oregon became one of 3 states that had a ban on warrantless arrests by ICE. 201 00:25:05.744 --> 00:25:11.662 It was a was a critical safeguard that allowed for immigrant communities to have due process. 202 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:30.422 Earlier this fall, we were seeing the increase of detentions, and so Innovation Law Lab went back to court and said to the judge, ICE is not following your detention— your ruling, and asked for the judge to rule again to enforce ICE to follow the original ruling. 203 00:25:30.919 --> 00:25:36.951 And in the discovery, they found that ICE was in parking lots and running license plates. 204 00:25:37.496 --> 00:25:40.914 And if your name popped up, they were then arresting you. 205 00:25:41.027 --> 00:25:43.788 And so that leads to the big store parking lots. 206 00:25:43.852 --> 00:25:48.088 And until that information was discovered, immigrant communities were terrified. 207 00:25:48.184 --> 00:25:51.442 They were scared the self-checkout was maybe giving that to ICE. 208 00:25:51.556 --> 00:25:57.750 They were scared that if they talked to an employee at one of these big box stores, that they were sharing information. 209 00:25:57.798 --> 00:26:05.086 And so it really paints how much fear and how much surveillance and just anxiety these communities are having. 210 00:26:06.547 --> 00:26:13.433 The other thing to note in this is that the other detention rate, 21%, is detentions on the road. 211 00:26:14.268 --> 00:26:22.102 ICE's reports are that ICE is arriving on scene and is off the scene and detains someone within 90 seconds. 212 00:26:22.213 --> 00:26:32.192 So as I mentioned, they're getting smarter, they're becoming strategic, they are doing targeted arrests by entrapping people and removing their protections without properly notifying them. 213 00:26:32.320 --> 00:26:43.670 And then they are also running the license plates to either get them at the store or get them down the road, because when they are isolated and when they're by themselves, it's harder for them— for people to be notified that they've been taken. 214 00:26:43.766 --> 00:26:49.568 ICE does not leave a note saying, if— please contact this number, this family individual was taken. 215 00:26:49.633 --> 00:27:06.553 And so oftentimes, and even in October, earlier this month, With the uptick of detentions, people forgot what it was like, and there was a lot of family members who thought families were kidnapped because you just see broken glass and you don't know where that family member is. 216 00:27:06.650 --> 00:27:07.492 They didn't show up to work. 217 00:27:08.107 --> 00:27:08.528 Next slide. 218 00:27:12.011 --> 00:27:28.327 During the same period of July-September 2026, 62 of those detentions were in Multnomah, and 21 counties had Multnomah continues to be the higher detention county. 219 00:27:28.830 --> 00:27:35.886 It's hard to say whether or not it's because we're— we have the Portland ICE facility, whether it's because we're being targeted. 220 00:27:36.307 --> 00:27:41.343 But a big— another factor is that we are training our community to call PERC. 221 00:27:41.472 --> 00:27:50.673 And so because we have a more trained community, we are having the notification become easier and having that oversight possible. 222 00:27:50.721 --> 00:27:50.914 Thank you. 223 00:27:51.588 --> 00:27:52.217 Next slide, please. 224 00:27:53.875 --> 00:28:01.157 So that is the current landscape that we're in and the sanctuary protection progress that we've done since October 25th. 225 00:28:02.143 --> 00:28:24.758 We submitted a FOIA request to ICE, USCIS, and the Immigrant Executive Office of Immigration Review, as is directed by the sanctuary ordinance, to increase transparency and to also get information that is not being shared outright by the federal government so that you all, policymakers, and then the city administration can have policies and protocols that reflect the current need. 226 00:28:25.222 --> 00:28:27.435 We've held 2 immigrant forums. 227 00:28:27.708 --> 00:28:31.492 These immigrant forums is the Asian Immigrant Forum and the African Immigrant Forum. 228 00:28:31.557 --> 00:28:37.843 These are know-your-rights trainings that we partner with Innovation Law Lab and Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition. 229 00:28:38.211 --> 00:28:57.150 And we specifically chose the Asian immigrant community and the African immigrant community because they are underdiscussed when we're talking about it, and they are, they are one of those that are being the Latinx community made up the majority of the detentions last year, and because of that, they were able to create a very strong rapid response infrastructure. 230 00:28:57.679 --> 00:29:03.564 And we wanted to share those best practices with other communities, and the feedback has been really positive. 231 00:29:04.269 --> 00:29:07.477 We've also had rapid response networks established within the city. 232 00:29:07.557 --> 00:29:23.090 So I took over a meeting that was originally created by Councilor Koyama Lane during the first year of the Trump administration where we regularly meet with rapid response advocates to ensure that we are advocating and supporting the needs of the community. 233 00:29:24.326 --> 00:29:27.008 They hired an immigrant affairs lead to centralize the coordination. 234 00:29:27.699 --> 00:29:39.949 The police has created protocol and trainings to ensure that they are fulfilling their obligations within the sanctuary city codification and the state Sanctuary Promise Act. 235 00:29:41.666 --> 00:29:45.440 We have created the employee protocol for interacting with immigration agents. 236 00:29:45.842 --> 00:29:48.618 There's an internal infrastructure for immigrant affairs liaisons. 237 00:29:49.020 --> 00:29:56.085 There is a sanctuary city resource hub created, and then we have designated the public and non-public signage across the city, citywide. 238 00:29:56.502 --> 00:30:10.817 And we have citywide reporting portals to document any sort of ICE immigration activity to ensure that we have a proper understanding of how this is showing up in our city spaces and next slide. 239 00:30:11.593 --> 00:30:12.496 Employee preparedness. 240 00:30:12.818 --> 00:30:20.002 So the mayor has, and the city administrator have expressed that our first priority is employees. 241 00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:24.763 We cannot make sure that the public is safe if we're not making the institution safe first. 242 00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:39.108 And so the protocols that are being developed and/or are developed are an employee— what happens when employees approached by an ICE agent, What happens if an employee observes a detention while working, or what happens when a city employee is detained? 243 00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:46.145 We're also ensuring that employees understand their sanctuary responsibilities under federal, state, and local law and resources available to them. 244 00:30:46.724 --> 00:31:00.865 And lastly, as I mentioned, clarifying the public and non-public areas in city facilities and training employees on how the public or even immigration agents should be accessing those spaces to ensure that the intention of documenting those are being fulfilled. 245 00:31:01.323 --> 00:31:02.025 Next slide, please. 246 00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:11.972 So the approach for the how— what happens when an employee is approached by a federal agent, it's a no wrong door approach. 247 00:31:12.151 --> 00:31:38.670 We originally wanted one phone call to ensure that there's one phone call anyone who is being approached by an ICE agent can contact this phone call to initiate the citywide awareness that an immigration agent is asking either for information about someone or right now, the way that the process is, is that it's a yellow card. 248 00:31:39.025 --> 00:31:50.984 Employees, and those are for non-supervisors or for supervisors who feel that it would be harmful to interact with an ICE agent, they would have this yellow card, and if an ICE agent is approached to them, they will pass that along to the ICE agent. 249 00:31:51.749 --> 00:31:56.319 The intention of this is that ICE agents are intimidating and they are not a friendly presence to the public. 250 00:31:56.417 --> 00:31:56.628 Thank you. 251 00:31:56.801 --> 00:31:58.163 A frequent occurrence. 252 00:31:58.243 --> 00:32:08.311 And so we want to ensure that the folks who are reviewing judicial warrants are trained and also are comfortable with enforcing boundaries and city protocols. 253 00:32:08.407 --> 00:32:15.814 And so this really is to support the frontline workers and ensure that at least also someone is notified that ICE is there. 254 00:32:15.959 --> 00:32:25.578 And so a, a yellow card employee will hand this over to the ICE agent, they will step away, and they will notify their security partners. 255 00:32:25.884 --> 00:32:29.359 So if you are a parks employee, you will contact the parks rangers. 256 00:32:29.616 --> 00:32:41.285 And the security team is made up of 311, park rangers, the security operations here with Manny, Mike Porter, myself. 257 00:32:41.623 --> 00:32:48.622 And the purpose of this is that— and also PBEM— the purpose of this is that citywide we know what's happening and we can all coordinate. 258 00:32:48.719 --> 00:32:52.333 And if there is ways to mitigate risk and notify other people who are in that area, we can do that. 259 00:32:52.381 --> 00:32:52.558 Thank you. 260 00:32:55.698 --> 00:33:03.715 The other purpose is that we are notifying the mayor and the city administrator with recommendations and updates that this is happening, as well as council. 261 00:33:04.037 --> 00:33:08.061 And then the next thing is employees, informing the public and employees if it feels appropriate. 262 00:33:08.462 --> 00:33:20.699 An orange card holder will be individuals who will be reviewing the judicial warrant to determine if that warrant satisfies the legal requirements to grant access to a nonpublic space or information. 263 00:33:21.195 --> 00:33:32.401 An orange card holder will have a checklist that is, and that's on the right, that is to be completed 'Cause every part of that in that list is required for it to be a valid warrant to grant access or assist or information. 264 00:33:35.165 --> 00:33:44.578 Again, these incidents are not happening often, and so we heard from employees they want the ability to be able to know what to do in these rare occurrences. 265 00:33:45.686 --> 00:33:46.375 Next slide, please. 266 00:33:48.707 --> 00:34:09.195 The other part of these employee protocols is having employees feel that they are not abandoning and it is a way for us to support individuals in the most effective way that allows for our personnel and legal partners to provide due process to them. 267 00:34:09.275 --> 00:34:14.981 And so this on the right, as I mentioned, Oregon became one of 3 states that had a ban on warrantless arrest. 268 00:34:15.094 --> 00:34:21.713 And that's because we trusted the system, we trusted our legal partners, and we continue to use the tools that are effective. 269 00:34:21.762 --> 00:34:23.862 And that is what the effective tools are. 270 00:34:23.925 --> 00:34:30.876 And so communicating that to employees so that they do not feel like they are being targeted or targeted add harm to themselves or to the community is part of that training as well. 271 00:34:31.391 --> 00:34:31.793 Next slide. 272 00:34:33.722 --> 00:34:36.190 This is the internal immigrant affairs liaisons. 273 00:34:36.550 --> 00:34:56.402 These are a network that's supposed to help implement, provide feedback on how these protocols are implemented and developed, as well as be a source of— a resource for employees if they have questions, they feel that there's any gaps in policy or protocol, or have any questions about what resources are available. 274 00:34:56.452 --> 00:34:56.614 Thank you. 275 00:34:57.581 --> 00:35:00.137 Citywide, we have 64, and I meet with them biweekly. 276 00:35:01.309 --> 00:35:01.568 Next slide. 277 00:35:03.260 --> 00:35:09.987 This is the sanctuary website for city employees, and we are working on creating guides, printable yellow and orange cards. 278 00:35:10.052 --> 00:35:15.255 The first round of yellow and orange cards will be delivered, but if they need new ones, they can print them off. 279 00:35:15.773 --> 00:35:18.489 Printable signs for non-public areas to establish that. 280 00:35:18.617 --> 00:35:20.315 An immigrant liaison reference guide. 281 00:35:20.784 --> 00:35:34.956 You can find the reporting interaction protocol the Human Resource Immigration Leave Policy, which you all passed, that allows city employees to take leave if they've had immigration detention in their immediate family, and then community resources for employees to share. 282 00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:35.956 Next slide. 283 00:35:38.565 --> 00:35:46.440 The sanctuary ordinance and the Protect Portland Initiative resolution had specific directives for the Portland Police Bureau. 284 00:35:47.568 --> 00:35:52.297 And early on, the Portland Police Bureau created their own reporting app called FIRA, the Federal Immigration Reporting Application. 285 00:35:52.478 --> 00:35:52.608 FIRA. 286 00:35:54.722 --> 00:36:02.963 And that became live December 2025, prior to the citywide resolver app that is for the rest of the city. 287 00:36:03.623 --> 00:36:08.297 They also early on created training and protocols with interacting with immigration enforcement. 288 00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:21.215 They created these cards for individuals who have English as a second language that you can carry on you, and if you are pulled over by a police officer, you can show that, and police officers know that that individual would need interpretation. 289 00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:30.659 They also created a referral resource because at the beginning of the surge, and continues, people were reporting kidnapping. 290 00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:33.179 And after their investigation, they found that it was an ICE detention. 291 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:39.159 This QR code is given to those individuals that connects them to immigration services and support. 292 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:51.139 They've also done community safety workshops for immigrant and refugees in which they do what you should know when someone is pulled over, what services PPB can provide for you, and also listening sessions to hear back from the community. 293 00:36:51.139 --> 00:36:51.179 Thank you. 294 00:36:52.168 --> 00:37:18.851 As we see immigration agents continuously erode trust with local law enforcement by masking as police officers or masking and not identifying themselves, these intentional efforts by PPB has allowed for the immigrant and refugee community to feel that there is one government entity who is trying to, to provide support as the federal government is using every resource to target and harm them. 295 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:19.125 Thank you. 296 00:37:19.949 --> 00:37:20.255 Next slide. 297 00:37:22.380 --> 00:37:24.925 The other part is intergovernmental coordination. 298 00:37:25.360 --> 00:37:31.697 The City of Portland does not have the billions that the federal government has dedicated to immigration enforcement. 299 00:37:31.809 --> 00:37:40.324 And so what has to happen is we are stronger by being effective with our resources and using and partnering with different levels of government. 300 00:37:40.373 --> 00:38:03.556 And so one example of that intergovernment coordination is myself and the federal government relations for the city partnered up and asked the congressional delegation if they could do an oversight visit to the Portland ICE facility after we heard reports that there was a spike in requests earlier this month and that attorneys were being denied access, in one instance, 12 times in one day. 301 00:38:04.164 --> 00:38:16.835 That visit did happen and it provided some critical information for rapid response partners and oversight, and that folks are watching and due process matters for immigrants, and we will be ringing the bell when that is violated. 302 00:38:16.931 --> 00:38:17.074 Thank you. 303 00:38:17.619 --> 00:38:30.621 The next that we did is when we were informed of the mega master hearings, we quickly elevated that to city leadership and the mayor made a personal call to the governor as well as the attorney general. 304 00:38:30.717 --> 00:38:37.818 And then the staff from all 3 of us met up and discussed what the potential implications and harms. 305 00:38:37.929 --> 00:38:43.076 And ultimately on October 6th, the attorney general and governor sent a letter to the US Attorney General. 306 00:38:43.219 --> 00:38:43.925 Thank you. 307 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:47.293 And EOIR calling for the immediate halt. 308 00:38:47.869 --> 00:39:04.065 We participate in weekly calls with congressional and state offices and community advocacy organizations to provide updates, share supports, and try to use our platforms as much as possible to provide oversight and transparency when trends are being elevated in that. 309 00:39:04.867 --> 00:39:14.490 The other thing that we do is, as I mentioned, Councilor Koyama Lane had created this weekly meeting with advocates and I have taken that over since coming into this role. 310 00:39:15.036 --> 00:39:18.164 And City of Portland is doing a lot of great work. 311 00:39:18.405 --> 00:39:30.548 And what we do is we had heard from advocates that there is some concerns with their emergency communications in Southern Oregon, and they wanted to understand more about how that works. 312 00:39:30.612 --> 00:39:44.139 And so BOEC Director Mosley did a presentation to those advocates so that they could understand how it works, and they can try to formulate ways to, um, have specific asks in, in other spaces, in other counties, in other cities. 313 00:39:44.492 --> 00:39:49.755 And so really being a resource and trying to use any res— any of our resources to support the community. 314 00:39:50.751 --> 00:40:03.157 The other thing is we initiated a peer city immigrant strategy call with our sister cities Chicago, LA, Minneapolis to understand what the best practices are for FOIA requests, what direct services. 315 00:40:03.510 --> 00:40:05.048 And it really thank you. 316 00:40:05.112 --> 00:40:10.608 And that was helpful in formulating what the next phase of our FOIA initiative is. 317 00:40:11.186 --> 00:40:20.623 And we supported Newport's legal effort for greater transparency in ICE's— the federal government's efforts to create a detention facility without notifying the city. 318 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:28.394 And as of this past week, they are now required and committed to the city to advance notice of any plans of building. 319 00:40:29.132 --> 00:40:31.199 Oregon does not have any detention facilities. 320 00:40:31.295 --> 00:40:40.989 It's one of our strongest safeguards, uh, in the state to ensure that, uh, the capacity, um, has some sort of, uh, the capacity of detention has a limit. 321 00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:50.416 Um, the Portland ICE facility, the Portland ICE facility McAdam, is a processing facility, but anyone there who is ultimately detained is sent to the closest detention, which is Tacoma. 322 00:40:50.675 --> 00:40:51.112 Next slide. 323 00:40:53.668 --> 00:40:55.530 I just want to make sure we have time for questions. 324 00:40:55.659 --> 00:40:56.452 Oh yeah, a little over. 325 00:40:56.710 --> 00:40:57.835 Um, so I wanna give you—. 326 00:40:57.867 --> 00:40:59.181 Can you gimme a time check how much I have? 327 00:40:59.885 --> 00:41:01.103 You're over by about 5 so far. 328 00:41:01.344 --> 00:41:01.824 Oh, okay. 329 00:41:02.050 --> 00:41:03.108 Yeah, but I'll give you—. 330 00:41:03.235 --> 00:41:05.960 I will go ahead and move this, and this will be in an annual report. 331 00:41:06.072 --> 00:41:16.891 So also, another effort that the city has done is we worked with PBEM to ensure that we have a proactive response and not a reactive response if we see another operation happening here. 332 00:41:17.034 --> 00:41:20.336 So we have 3, 4 different levels and different thresholds. 333 00:41:20.465 --> 00:41:26.554 And in each of these levels, different city services and communications are activated to ensure that we are acting swiftly and effectively. 334 00:41:27.070 --> 00:41:27.393 Next slide. 335 00:41:29.873 --> 00:41:31.757 FOIA information initiatives. 336 00:41:31.806 --> 00:41:33.045 So we did 3 of them. 337 00:41:33.416 --> 00:41:42.079 The purpose of this is to really try to understand how and what mechanisms the federal government is using to detain Portlanders. 338 00:41:42.731 --> 00:41:47.802 Currently we have 2 active immigration with ICE and EOIR. 339 00:41:48.268 --> 00:41:55.695 The purpose is to understand how many of these folks had criminal records, how many of these folks are voluntary how many of these had expedited removals? 340 00:41:56.213 --> 00:41:59.317 USCIS ultimately denied our request, and we are reviewing that. 341 00:41:59.931 --> 00:42:00.626 Next slide, please. 342 00:42:02.661 --> 00:42:12.402 We did get a response from ICE, and it was not accurate or complete data, but for the most part, it did match the general trends in that we are seeing an uptick of detentions. 343 00:42:12.452 --> 00:42:13.648 This is just an example. 344 00:42:13.713 --> 00:42:14.166 Next slide. 345 00:42:15.362 --> 00:42:20.134 And it also matches the national trends in that the majority of those who are being detained do not have a criminal record. 346 00:42:20.760 --> 00:42:21.954 70% Are not having a criminal active convicted criminal record. 347 00:42:22.003 --> 00:42:22.297 Next slide, please. 348 00:42:22.347 --> 00:42:22.724 Councilor Herbold. 349 00:42:25.021 --> 00:42:26.972 Next slide. 350 00:42:27.181 --> 00:42:29.666 This is a Sanctuary Promise violation complaint. 351 00:42:29.715 --> 00:42:34.507 So as is directed, these are the 6 complaints that have been issued to the City of Portland. 352 00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:38.980 4 of them are with the Portland Police Bureau, 1 is with 311, and 1 is the City of Portland. 353 00:42:39.204 --> 00:42:45.440 There's been no findings of Sanctuary Promise Act, and this reporting period is from May 2025 to present. 354 00:42:45.599 --> 00:42:46.016 Next slide. 355 00:42:47.347 --> 00:42:56.853 The other thing that the sanctuary ordinance and resolution, it requires the city monitor immigration enforcement requests, communications, and activities between October 25th to October 31st, 2025. 356 00:42:56.838 --> 00:42:58.018 October 2026. 357 00:42:59.635 --> 00:43:05.230 What ultimately showed in this data is that there was coordination and training gaps that led to overreporting and inaccurate data. 358 00:43:06.030 --> 00:43:07.775 BOEC reported 87 incidents. 359 00:43:08.065 --> 00:43:12.413 Only 29 of those actually were within the scope of immigration enforcement activity. 360 00:43:12.784 --> 00:43:17.559 27 Of those incidents involved federal agency notifying BOEC of activity in the area. 361 00:43:18.271 --> 00:43:31.188 2 Of those incidents regarded like medical, some harm, and then PPB reported 9 instances and only 7 of those instances were actual immigration enforcement activity. 362 00:43:31.623 --> 00:43:38.907 50 Of the incidents from BOIC were related to protest activity outside of the McAdam facility. 363 00:43:39.018 --> 00:43:43.817 And so that is not immigration enforcement and not within the scope of the ordinance or resolution. 364 00:43:44.494 --> 00:43:44.849 Next slide. 365 00:43:47.061 --> 00:43:51.657 And the next phase is operationalize, coordinate, oversee, and measure outcomes and demonstrate impact. 366 00:43:51.728 --> 00:44:00.967 I look forward to hearing what your thoughts our suggestions and how we can better, um, you know, align the intent with council, um, with the ordinance and resolution. 367 00:44:01.242 --> 00:44:01.467 Thank you. 368 00:44:03.894 --> 00:44:05.298 Thank you so much, Brenda, for being here. 369 00:44:05.815 --> 00:44:10.108 Colleagues, uh, if you would like to ask any questions, um, please feel free to get in the queue. 370 00:44:10.172 --> 00:44:15.456 We've got about 11 or 12 minutes left for this agenda item, so everybody should have 3 or 4 minutes. 371 00:44:15.748 --> 00:44:18.112 Um, I'll start with Councilor Novick and then go to Councilor Green. 372 00:44:18.677 --> 00:44:19.795 Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 373 00:44:20.563 --> 00:44:23.639 Thank you for a comprehensive and absolutely horrifying presentation. 374 00:44:24.538 --> 00:44:29.737 I was wondering, you said the AG had been contacted about the mega hearings. 375 00:44:30.797 --> 00:44:39.686 Did they give any indication as to whether there's some possible legal challenge to those, you know, whether to give people inadequate notice, that some due process challenge or something? 376 00:44:40.023 --> 00:44:40.842 It's challenging. 377 00:44:40.922 --> 00:44:46.554 Immigration law does not have the same safeguards or statutes that individuals, citizens have. 378 00:44:46.603 --> 00:44:48.159 And so I would circle back on that. 379 00:44:48.224 --> 00:44:52.804 But it is going to be a challenging case because the statute of safeguards or not in immigration law. 380 00:44:53.592 --> 00:44:56.621 But technically, yes, you are supposed to have proper notification. 381 00:44:56.668 --> 00:45:04.532 The challenge is if you're deported, um, and you've already been sent to another country, it's hard to really— but there is an active national lawsuit. 382 00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:05.476 Thank you. 383 00:45:05.717 --> 00:45:06.137 Thank you. 384 00:45:07.639 --> 00:45:09.239 Councilor Green, and then Councilor Pirtle-Guiney. 385 00:45:09.998 --> 00:45:12.259 Thank you so much for the, uh, presentation, Brenda. 386 00:45:12.485 --> 00:45:38.490 Um, my question is, are we thinking about like ALPRs and AI and sort of like flock type of cameras in the context of, I know we don't have those in the City of Portland, but are we connecting the dots between any AI initiatives in the City of Portland, any security and surveillance things that we might want to pursue and how that might interfere with our sanctuary city policies? 387 00:45:38.699 --> 00:45:40.414 Is that in the purview of your office? 388 00:45:40.911 --> 00:46:07.130 Yeah, so I did meet with Hector, which is in the Digital Security Office, and we are looking to see one of the things I do foresee us doing is using that resource and that really critical office to support advocates in understanding and advocating in other places. 389 00:46:07.130 --> 00:46:11.219 Because the City of Portland, you may be a Portlander, but you work in Gresham. 390 00:46:11.349 --> 00:46:14.269 And so trying to minimize that harm and sharing that resource with other places. 391 00:46:14.269 --> 00:46:14.309 Councilmember Herbold. 392 00:46:15.233 --> 00:46:17.893 Thank you. 393 00:46:18.425 --> 00:46:35.074 I think one of the things I worry about is, as we're thinking about security upgrades in the affordable housing units, Home Forward in particular, are we putting in cameras that can be used by federal immigration agents? 394 00:46:35.172 --> 00:46:39.706 So I don't need an answer to that now, but that's something I'm, I'm very concerned about. 395 00:46:39.938 --> 00:46:40.579 I appreciate it. 396 00:46:40.644 --> 00:46:40.956 Thank you, Your Honor. 397 00:46:42.293 --> 00:46:43.047 Thank you, Councilor Green. 398 00:46:43.096 --> 00:46:44.025 Councilor Pirtle-Guiney. 399 00:46:45.021 --> 00:46:45.677 Thank you, Chair. 400 00:46:45.806 --> 00:46:48.164 Brenna, thank you so much for the presentation today. 401 00:46:49.335 --> 00:46:57.257