PORTLAND (WGME) — The Portland City Council has agreed to accept an $18 million federal grant, even though it includes a mandate to cooperate with immigration officials.
That federal transportation grant is for the Portland Jetport.
It’s money city councilors felt was too important to lose, but city leaders say it does not mean they agreed to assist in immigration enforcement, as the new contract suggests.
Mayor Mark Dion says it’s normal for the council to meet in executive session on matters like this.
Councilors did agree to sign the contract to secure the Jetport funding, but Dion says they have no intention of cooperating with the federal government’s ongoing effort to deport immigrants.
“ICE is a lawless, racist bunch of thugs,” protester Lee Nicoloff said.
Protesters showed up at city hall after word got out about the council’s decision to sign a contract and take the money, with the ICE stipulation in the contract.
“You know, the Trump administration is really holding our city hostage. It’s kind of extortion,” Rep. Grayson Lookner (D-Portland) said. “I don’t think there’s any amount of money that’s worth selling out our city’s principles and our values.”
Protesters say the City of Portland should have nothing to do with ICE.
“They’re here, and they’re grabbing people, and they don’t care who they grab,” Nicoloff said. “The federal government is spending our tax money in massive amounts to support this army of monsters. We have to resist. We have to not cooperate, and the city needs to not cooperate, too.”
Portland City Councilor Kate Sykes says this came up quickly, and the council had to act quickly.
“The airport director is authorized to sign the grant, which has this new language in it,” Sykes said.
Sykes understands how upsetting this looks, but Dion says the city has agreed to nothing.
“We did not agree to any conditions involving ICE, that would allow ICE to be entangled with city affairs. Period,” Dion said. “Our decision to accept does not make us subordinate to the policy wishes of ICE.”
Dion says the U.S. Transportation Department added language in airport grant contracts requiring recipients to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“They’re seeking the same level of integration and cooperation with local authorities to carry out street level enforcement on ICE policy,” Dion said. “We won’t do it.”
He says Maine joined a 20-state lawsuit and says a federal judge issued an emergency injunction to block ICE from enforcing those provisions.
“We believe it’s illegal and unconstitutional,” Dion said.
City leaders plan to sign the agreement Friday, ignore the ICE provisions and take the money for needed Jetport improvements like replacing boarding bridges, fixing deteriorating concrete aprons and buying new snow removal equipment.