Oregon mayors form coalition against federal troops in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon mayors are fighting back against the Trump Administration’s decision to send federal troops to the Portland metro area.

More than a dozen mayors, led by Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, issued a joint letter Monday morning in an effort to “protect civil rights, public safety, and community trust.”

According to the coalition, the “enforcement of civil immigration laws by militarized forces has no legitimate role in our community.” They have also pledged to pursue legal, legislative, and administrative options to “prevent militarized federal actions that could infringe on constitutional rights.”

The mayors’ letter also demands that operational standards be maintained for federal officers, including officer identification, body-worn cameras, chemical munitions, and use of force.

The following mayors signed the joint letter: 

• Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland
• Lacey Beaty, Mayor of Beaverton
• Jeff Dalin, Mayor of Cornelius
• Keith A Kudrna, Mayor of Fairview
• Malynda Wenzl, Mayor of Forest Grove
• Michael Milch, Mayor of Gladstone
• Travis Stovall, Mayor of Gresham
• Beach Pace, Mayor of Hillsboro
• Joe Buck, Mayor of Lake Oswego
• Lisa Batey, Mayor of Milwaukie
• Tim Rosener, Mayor of Sherwood
• Frank Bubenik, Mayor of Tualatin
• Rory Bialostosky, Mayor of West Linn
• Shawn O’Neil, Mayor of Wilsonville
• Jairo Rios-Campos, Mayor of Wood Village
• Melanie Kebler, Mayor of Bend
• Kaarin Knudson, Mayor of Eugene

Watch: Full press conference with 12 Oregon mayors

“I am grateful for the coalition of mayors across Oregon standing with Portland to reject the unprecedented militarization of law and immigration enforcement,” Mayor Wilson said. “We will pursue all legal and legislative options to prevent militarized federal actions that could violate constitutional rights and undermine public safety grounded in prevention, equity, and community trust.”

A copy of the letter can be found below.

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty and many others spoke to their experiences as U.S. veterans to share why they joined this coalition.

“As a U.S. Army veteran who has served in combat, not only do I know what a warzone looks like; I can assure you Portland is not that,” Mayor Beaty said. “But I also know first-hand the role of the military, and it is not to police our neighborhoods. National Guard units are brave and dedicated, but their training and missions are designed for emergencies and disasters, not for community policing.”

Wilsonville Mayor Shawn O’Neil also said, “The real issue here is not just public safety. It is about how power is exercised in a democracy.”

“We must reject any slide towards authoritarianism, whether is comes from the left or the right,” O’Neil said. “Public safety is strongest when communities work together; not when they are treated like occupied territory.”