Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued an executive order Thursday directing the city to comply “with federal anti-discrimination laws, as defined by the federal judiciary.”
The aim of the order, according to city spokesperson Cody Bowman, is to adjust the wording in the city’s programs and policies so they can certify grant applications as needed to hold on to as much money as possible as the Trump administration changes the rules around qualifying for federal grant funding.
Right now, the city is managing about $349 million in federal grant money, according to Bowman, and it expects to sign agreements for $31 million more in the coming weeks.
In a letter to organizations that receive federal funding through the city, Wilson wrote that complying with federal anti-discrimination laws as they will be interpreted under President Donald Trump “means that City programs and services cannot give preference to groups with ‘protected-class status’ based on characteristics such as race or gender,” in most cases.
Wilson’s letter indicated that any wording changes would make clear that programs funded with federal dollars would be available to anyone, regardless of protected class status. At the same time, Wilson reaffirmed his commitment to the three words that have become anathema under Trump: diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Let’s be clear,” Wilson wrote. “In Portland, we believe in diversity, we believe in equity, and we believe in inclusion. We say those words proudly.”
The mayor promised that Portland would “continue to operate the vast majority of programs designed to help all Portlanders, including people of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA2S+ people, and people with disabilities, by making city government more inclusive and more accessible.”
Under the order, the city will maintain its sanctuary status and continue to participate in “multiple lawsuits that contest executive orders from the Trump administration,” according to Bowman.
City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney said she supported the mayor’s order and that she and her fellow councilors remained “united in our commitment to Portland’s values.”
“This action is necessary to ensure Portland can continue to receive our share of federal dollars – dollars that fund critical housing programs, pay for street safety projects, and ensure we can keep our city’s gun violence prevention programs,“ Pirtle-Guiney’s statement read.
The executive order took effect at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Correction: The story has been updated to reflect that the city will change program and policy language in order to certify grants meet federal requirements. An earlier version of the story stated that only grant application language would change.
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