Portland responds to Attorney General Bondi on sanctuary city status

Portland's sanctuary city policy does not violate federal law, the City of Portland said today in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi - reiterating the city's longstanding status as a sanctuary city, which has been upheld by courts.

"Please take this letter as the City's response that the City of Portland complies with applicable federal and state laws, and the City of Portland will continue to follow such laws," City Attorney Robert Taylor wrote.

Taylor's statement comes in response to a letter that Bondi sent last week to several dozen sanctuary cities, counties and states, claiming that these jurisdictions "engage in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States."

• Download PDF fileResponse from City Attorney Robert Taylor to Attorney General Bondi | 8-19-2025241.73 KB
• Download PDF fileLetter from Attorney General Pam Bondi to Portland | 8-13-2025865.23 KB

The City of Portland is committed to protecting and supporting an immigrant community that contributes so much to the health, prosperity, and vibrancy of our city. In 2017, the City Council officially declared Portland a sanctuary city. In brief, this means that city employees (including Portland police officers) will not cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents except as expressly required by federal law.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that enforcing immigration law is the job of the federal government, not cities like Portland. Federal courts have repeatedly ruled that sanctuary laws are constitutional. Studies show that sanctuary policies support public safety by building trust between local police and immigrant communities.

Learn more at Portland is a Sanctuary City