Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson declared an emergency on December 12, 2025, in response to ongoing federal ICE activity and its effects on residents.

The declaration seeks to increase flexibility to counter harm and fear, maintain sanctuary policies, suspend certain purchasing rules to speed resource delivery, and win state and federal support including financial relief and expanded social services.

The county launched a new website at multco.us/federal to inform residents about responses and available resources.

Vega Pederson highlighted alignment with regional partners, noting that other Oregon cities and counties have similarly responded to impacts from federal immigration enforcement.

The emergency comes after ongoing county actions such as establishing an Emergency Operations Center, boosting food assistance, and addressing consequences of federal policy changes and the government shutdown.

Vega Pederson and Commissioner Shannon Singleton plan a virtual town hall on December 15 to gather input on proposed sanctuary policy updates.

A resolution to reaffirm and strengthen Multnomah County’s Sanctuary County status is expected, along with a $250,000 emergency funding plan for human and legal services to be considered on December 18, 2025.

Residents report fear impacting daily activities like work, school, transportation, and healthcare as ICE activity rises, with more than 13% of residents born outside the U.S.