Attorney General Dan Rayfield, alongside 19 other state attorneys general, has initiated two lawsuits against the Trump administration. The legal action challenges attempts to enforce immigration policies by threatening to withhold federal funding critical for emergency services and infrastructure.
Rayfield stated, "This is another attempt to place conditions on money by holding hostage our safe roads and public safety." He emphasized the importance of these funds for recovery efforts after wildfires, flood protection in areas like Tillamook, and essential infrastructure repairs.
The coalition's first lawsuit targets the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. A second lawsuit is directed at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy. The agencies are accused of imposing conditions that require states to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement or risk losing billions in federal aid.
There is concern that such conditions could jeopardize public safety by depriving states of necessary emergency preparedness funds. In Oregon alone, $243 million was received from FEMA last year for such purposes.
The lawsuit against the DOT argues that enforcing an immigration-related condition on transportation funds exceeds the agency's authority. Last year, Oregon's Department of Transportation received over $728 million from DOT for highway projects.
"Oregon, like many states, has made its own choices about what’s important for our communities and how to use our state resources to achieve those goals," Rayfield said. "We believe it’s a fundamental right for Oregon to set its own course."
The states joining Oregon in this legal challenge include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and Vermont.