Mayor Keith Wilson appoints Brenda Alvarado as the City of Portland’s first immigrant affairs lead

Accomplished immigrant rights advocate and policy strategist Brenda Alvarado will join the City of Portland as its first immigrant affairs lead - a new position reflecting the City's commitment to supporting immigrant communities.

Alvarado, who was appointed by Mayor Keith Wilson following a competitive recruitment, will expand initiatives that promote inclusion and access to resources for immigrants, refugees, communities, mixed-status households and City employees. She will provide centralized leadership and policy guidance on the City's sanctuary-related policies, including implementation of the Sanctuary City Ordinanceand Protect Portland Initiativeand ongoing compliance with the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act.

In addition, Alvarado will oversee citywide preparedness efforts, strengthening partnerships and coordinating tools, templates, decision-making frameworks, Know Your Rights resources and reporting procedures. Other key responsibilities include managing the network of immigrant affairs liaisons from city bureaus, facilitating resource sharing, standardizing protocols and ensuring employee needs are met.

"Our city is stronger when all residents feel safe and supported," Wilson said. "Brenda will be instrumental in my effort to strengthen city and statewide policy and coordination as we navigate aggressive federal actions, ensuring our sanctuary protections remain robust and effective."

Alvarado brings extensive experience in immigrant rights advocacy, policy implementation and cross-agency collaboration. She previously served as an organizer with the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC), where she led key statewide programs and helped build long-term infrastructure and partnerships to support immigrant communities.

At PIRC, Alvarado oversaw the Migra Watch Training Program and the Legal Observer Program and led the launch and ongoing operations of the PIRC Immigrant Resource Center, located outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland. In its first two months, the resource center served more than 700 community members and continues to support hundreds more.

Alvarado worked alongside volunteer legal observers to provide direct, on-the-ground support to individuals navigating ICE check-ins, as well as to family members and friends seeking information and assistance for loved ones impacted by immigration enforcement actions.

As director of constituent services for Congressperson Suzanne Bonamici and congressional aide to Congressperson Peter DeFazio, Alvarado gained deep experience navigating complex policy and legislative processes. She served as a subject matter expert on immigration policy, advising senior leadership on complex, high-profile matters, and conducted policy and legislative analysis on immigration, student loan, tax and small business issues. She also led a team delivering culturally specific, trauma-informed services to immigrant constituents.

Throughout her career, Alvarado has demonstrated her commitment to immigrant and refugee justice, equity, anti-racism, and trauma informed practice. Her background equips her to develop Citywide policies and systems, coordinate across bureaus and community organizations, and ensure immigrant communities are supported while upholding our sanctuary city protections.

"I'm honored to help shape this new role and deepen the City's commitment to protecting immigrant communities," Alvarado said. "This is a pivotal moment. I look forward to standing alongside City leadership, bureaus, labor partners, and community-based organizations to ensure everyone who calls Portland home can live with safety, dignity, and access to the support and sanctuary protections they deserve."