Portland,
Let's start by celebrating the wins before diving into everything happening in Portland with the National Guard and the federal government.
Clean Sidewalks for Portland
Working with the Public Environment Management Office (PEMO), I'm proud to announce the launch of a new sidewalk cleaning initiative. District 4's busiest sidewalks will now be cleaned on a regular schedule, five days a week.
Councilor Clark and I took it one step further by securing additional funding for an enhanced sidewalk cleaning program that targets the streets along I-405 around the St. Stephens and Northrup shelters, seven days a week.
Together with the Mayor's proposed camping enforcement beginning November 1, means Portland's streets should be cleaner, tent-free, and accessible for all Portlanders.
Extended Parking Hours Reversed
We successfully convinced the Mayor to reverse the downtown parking hours extension, so paid parking now ends at 7 p.m. again. The longer hours simply didn't make sense—for residents, for Portlanders working at restaurants and shops, or for visitors—especially as we work to revitalize downtown.
Portland; Not a War Zone
We've been living in this state of alert for just over a month now. Every day brings a new headline—sometimes every hour—about the National Guard, the courts, or President Trump's next move. It's exhausting. For me, and for every Portlander, trying to live their life while concerned about what comes next. We worry that peaceful protests will be met with "full force," or that the courts will bend under political pressure.
But we still show up.
We hear our city being called a "war zone" and a "wasteland," as we watch the leaves on the trees change color—and it doesn't add up. Because we know what's actually happening on our streets.
The federal government is using propaganda, media created with bias to spread disinformation, to attack Portland on a national level. From the White House Press Secretary's podium to the Secretary of Homeland Security's visit, it's all propaganda. And propaganda is not fact.
And the best way to fight propaganda? Fact. It's so important that we step outside the Pacific Northwest bubble and speak directly to the nation. Having the opportunity to go on national outlets like CNN gives me a chance to let Americans question what they're seeing and hearing from the White House, and to understand that what's happening in Portland isn't rebellion. It's an American city standing firm in defense of our constitutional rights and American norms.
The federal government's disinformation campaign is an attempt to normalize federal overreach. To normalize the idea that cities who disagree with the administration are "rebelling." To normalize the deployment of U.S. military on U.S. soil.
But Portland won't have it. They picked the wrong target.
Over the last month, we've seen an increase in federal agents, including ICE officers, and we've witnessed excessive use of force on peaceful protesters by these very agents. These are deliberate attempts to escalate tension and justify more federal presence. This tactic isn't new. It's the playbook of this administration: claim there's a problem where there isn't one, send in enforcement, provoke conflict, then use that conflict to justify more enforcement. I've seen this tactic before. And it's unacceptable to see such a tactic being used in my own city. Because I firmly believe that using the military on U.S. soil is an affront to the fabric of American norms.
In the courts, Oregon U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut ruled twice that there is no cause for troops on our streets. She first issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the Oregon National Guard from deploying, and then a second TRO extending that order to all states after the federal government attempted to mobilize and deploy troops from Texas and California.
I lay all of this nuance out because I think it's important. It shows the political theater happening in Washington, D.C. It also shows their determination and willingness to disregard the precedent of our system's checks and balances, despite a judge's clear ruling.
Judge Immergut's rulings were appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. There, two of the three judges overruled the first TRO, with the dissenting judge noting that "propaganda is not fact," implying that the evidence used to argue the federal government's case was built on disinformation. But the City of Portland and the State of Oregon pushed back, using every legal tool available and requesting an "en banc" hearing.
That request was granted. The 9th Circuit Court agreed, vacating its earlier decision and moving the case to be heard by eleven judges who will issue a new ruling on Judge Immergut's TROs. In the meantime, both TROs remain in effect, and National Guard troops will not deploy to Portland.
It's going to be a long road ahead, but I want Portlanders to know this: I am doing everything in my power and influence to ensure our city remains self-governed and that your First Amendment rights are protected. City Council unanimously passed the Protect Portland Initiative and reaffirmed our Sanctuary City ordinance, making it clear that no city employee will engage with federal immigration enforcement. We are committed to training staff on how to navigate these encounters, with the safety and rights of Portlanders front of mind.
Portland will continue to stand for free speech, privacy, and the promise that everyone who calls Portland home is welcome and protected. I'm proud to be a Portlander. I'm proud of you. Keep showing up—frog and chicken suits welcome.
A Note for Southwest Waterfront
I want to acknowledge that the public discourse happening in our city can be difficult to live through. People living in the Southwest corridor near the federal ICE facility are feeling the brunt of it. There's a talking point that Portland is not a "war zone," that it's just "one block" of a larger city, but I understand that living on that block may feel very different. And I empathize with that.
I am actively meeting with the Mayor and his team to improve livability in your area. Please contact my office directly with your concerns or needs.
What is Eric Eating?!
What better way to walk-talk-and-eat than with a jelly donut and a cup of coffee? On a beautiful day, I got my steps in with constituents and fellow District 4 councilors at the Southwest Waterfront with Oregon Walks.
Thanks for the action-shot, Kate.
Thanks Portland,
Councilor Eric Zimmerman