Portland City Council to oppose Arizona immigration law but stop short of boycott


The city of Portland will join a growing list of U.S. cities to go on record opposing Arizona's illegal-immigration law.

A City Council resolution would allow city attorneys to help fight the law and ask city lobbyists to push for stronger Oregon laws against racial profiling. A majority of the five-person council has sponsored a resolution, scheduled for a vote at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The Arizona law requires state and local police to look into an individual's immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" the person might be in the United States illegally. Supporters say the law will help secure the border. Critics say it's unconstitutional and encourages racial profiling.

Latino leaders praised the Portland's measure.

"All of this is a message," said Gale Castillo, president of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber. "It's a message that Portland doesn't like what it sees."

Portland's measure would stop short of more dramatic steps started weeks ago by Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and others to boycott city travel to Arizona or contracts with companies based in the state.

"We're taking what we feel is a more productive approach," said Roy Kaufmann, Mayor Sam Adams' spokesman.

Adams said in a statement that boycotts "are not a particularly effective approach, and may in fact violate state purchasing laws."

Jose Ibarra, chairman of the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs, said he supports the city's resolution, but he bristled at Adams' dismissal of a boycott.

Dozens of Latino groups across the country have pledged to not hold any conventions in Arizona. On May 17, the Seattle City Council voted 7-0 to urge the city to stop sending employees to Arizona and to not sign new contracts with Arizona businesses.

Portland, by contrast, will allow city attorneys to join with Portland lawyer Mark Johnson to file amicus briefs to support legal challenges by Arizona cities Tucson and Flagstaff. Kaufmann said the mayor didn't want to boycott Arizona travel and contracts only to punish the cities fighting the law.

Adams has been working with Tucson to build a streetcar line there. A subsidiary of Clackamas-based Oregon Iron Works has been working on a contract to build the Tucson streetcars.

Here is contact information for the Portland City council, feel free to make thousands of calls to them:

Elected Officials Portfolios and Liaison Responsibilities

Sam Adams, Mayor
Commissioner of Finance and Administration
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 340, 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4120
E-mail: Samadams@ci.portland.or.us

Amanda Fritz
Commissioner of Public Utilities, Position Number 1
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220, 97204
Phone: (503) 823-3008
E-mail: amanda@ci.portland.or.us

Nick Fish
Commissioner of Public Works, Position Number 2
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Ave, Room 240, 97204
(503) 823-3589
e-mail: Nick@ci.portland.or.us

Randy Leonard
Commissioner of Public Safety, Position Number 4
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 210, 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4682
E-mail: randy@ci.portland.or.us

Dan Saltzman
Commissioner of Public Affairs, Position Number 3
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 230, 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4151
E-mail: dan@ci.portland.or.us

LaVonne Griffin-Valade
City Auditor
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 140, 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4078
E-mail: lavonne.griffin-valade@ci.portland.or.us






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