Should Portland amend the FY 2025–26 Appropriation Schedule to reallocate $150,000 from the Legal Priorities Reserve Fund to support refugee and immigration legal…

The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:Since 2017, the City of Portland has affirmed its status as a sanctuary city, committing to support the safety, dignity, and well-being of immigrant and refugee communities, and in 2025, the City codified these commitments in City Code, formally embedding sanctuary principles into law.Since January 2025, the federal administration has issued multiple Executive Orders that significantly alter immigration enforcement priorities and rescind prior policies related to humanitarian protections, prosecutorial discretion, and limitations on enforcement actions in sensitive locations, creating widespread fear and instability for immigrant communities.Executive Orders including EO 14159 and EO 14165 direct the termination or non-renewal of key humanitarian immigration programs, including Humanitarian Parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), placing hundreds of thousands of individuals nationwide at immediate risk of losing lawful status and work authorization.Humanitarian Parole programs have been used to admit individuals fleeing war, violence, and humanitarian crises, including Afghan allies evacuated through Operation Allies Welcome, Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion through Uniting for Ukraine, and individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela through the CHNV program, many of whom now face the imminent loss of lawful status.The termination of the CHNV parole program has left more than 500,000 humanitarian entrants nationwide newly undocumented while litigation proceeds, and recent Supreme Court rulings allow termination of parole status during the pendency of such litigation, increasing the urgency for affected individuals to seek immediate legal counsel.Temporary Protected Status provides protection from deportation and authorization to work for individuals unable to safely return to their countries due to armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary conditions; however, the administration has already terminated TPS for several countries and has signaled an intent to allow additional TPS designations to expire between November 2025 and October 2026.Individuals who lose TPS or Humanitarian Parole are often immediately subject to removal unless they timely file for an alternative lawful immigration status, making access to competent immigration legal services a time-sensitive and critical need.At the same time, the complexity and rapid pace of changes in federal immigration policy have contributed to an increase in immigration fraud and other bad actors who exploit vulnerable immigrants, further underscoring the importance of access to authorized, reputable legal service providers.Immigration legal screenings and representation can identify pathways to long-term lawful status, including asylum, adjustment of status, visas for victims of crime or domestic violence, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and other humanitarian or family-based remedies, helping stabilize families and communities.In March 2025, the federal government terminated funding for citizenship and naturalization services previously provided to Portland residents, eliminating a critical source of support for lawful permanent residents seeking to naturalize and thereby protect themselves and their families from future immigration enforcement actions.The City of Portland has an existing intergovernmental agreement with Portland Community College and SOAR Immigration Legal Services, a program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, to provide immigration legal services. SOAR Immigration Legal Services has provided culturally competent, Department of Justice–recognized immigration legal services in Portland since 1992 and currently serves more than 2,500 low-income immigrants annually from more than 80 countries.Pursuant to City Code Chapter 3.131, the New Portlanders Policy Commission (NPPC) is charged with advising the City on policies and practices that integrate immigrant and refugee community voices into City services, decision-making, and civic engagement, and with engaging in the City's annual budget process.At its September 2025 meeting, the New Portlanders Policy Commission were asked to evaluate options for how the City could provide expanded protections for New Portlanders through low-cost, high-impact access to immigration legal services.Following that request, the New Portlanders Policy Commission collaborated with SOAR Immigration Legal Services to develop and review a proposal identifying cost-effective strategies to expand access to immigration legal screenings and representation for immigrants at heightened risk of detention or deportation.In accordance with City Code Chapter 3.131, the New Portlanders Policy Commission formally endorsed SOAR Immigration Legal Services' proposal and transmitted its recommendation to City Council for consideration, affirming that the proposal advances equitable access to justice and supports immigrant and refugee integration.The proposal endorsed by the New Portlanders Policy Commission is designed to leverage the City's existing intergovernmental agreement with SOAR Immigration Legal Services, allowing the City to expand services rapidly while recognizing current fiscal constraints.An investment of $150,000 in immigration legal services would allow eligible individuals not only to receive legal screenings, but also to obtain direct legal representation to pursue long-term lawful status, addressing the most urgent needs created by recent federal actions.Exhibit A, attached, includes all incremental changes to the City's Fiscal Year 2025–26 Appropriation Schedule resulting from this budget amendment.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:The Fiscal Year 2025–26 Appropriation Schedule is hereby amended to reallocate $150,000 from the Legal Priorities Reserve Fund to the General Fund to support refugee and immigration legal services offered by SOAR Immigration Legal Services, as detailed in Exhibit A.The actions amending the Fiscal Year 2025–26 Revised Budget contained in this ordinance are binding City policy.