Portland officials advance immigrant and refugee support initiatives

Portland officials are taking steps to support immigrant and refugee communities through both symbolic proclamations and potential policy changes. In Portland, Mayor Keith Wilson has proclaimed Welcoming Week 2026. The initiative, themed ‘From Arrival to Belonging: Centering Community Voices & Building Welcoming Systems’, aims to reaffirm the city's commitment to creating an environment where diverse populations can participate and belong.

In South Portland, local government is considering a new ordinance to strengthen existing resolutions regarding federal immigration enforcement. Mayor Elyse Tipton has proposed a workshop to discuss options for ensuring city staff and police do not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While the city has held a non-cooperation principle since 2017, officials are exploring whether a formal ordinance is necessary to protect city resources from being used in federal enforcement actions.