Salem is the last scheduled event in the "Safeguarding Oregon: Federal Oversight Series" to be held July 23. It is a statewide initiative led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield to engage Oregonians in discussions about the impact of federal decisions on local communities. The event is the 5th in a series focused on hearing directly from Oregonians who have been affected by federal actions. Rayfield claims that many of these decisions impact healthcare, funding for research and grants, environmental protections, LGBTQ+ rights, and support for federal workers, veterans, schools, libraries and more.

The town hall setting is designed to help Attorney General Rayfield understand how federal decisions are playing out in Oregon communities and to shape legal strategies aimed at protecting the state’s interests. Based on prior lawsuits, whose interests qualify for protection?

Oregon is currently involved in 30 multi-state lawsuits against the federal government targeting the Trump administration's policies. After spending $12 million on eight cases in 2020, some of these lawsuits have generated positive rulings that have protected more than $1.6 billion in an attempt to freeze or cut federal funding according to DOJ. Oregon's legal actions have resulted in some successes, with federal judges temporarily halting some of the funding freezes.

A good number of the lawsuits Oregonians are funding are to protect undocumented immigrants. Notable examples include:

• Oregon joined a lawsuit challenging Trump's executive order to reinterpret the Fourteenth Amendment to exclude children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders from automatic citizenship. This case directly involves undocumented immigrants and their children.
• Oregon joined legal actions opposing federal policies targeting sanctuary cities, which are designed to protect undocumented immigrants by limiting local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
• Oregon joined legal challenges against the Trump administration’s efforts to rescind DACA, a program that protects undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
• Oregon schools stand to lose about $73 million in federal funding as the Trump administration withholds about $6.8 billion for schools nationwide across five grant program categories, which funds migrant education, professional development, English-learner services, student support and academic enrichment, and before- and after-school programs were under review – no decision has been made.
• Oregon joined 22 other states and the District of Columbia in challenging the Trump administration’s freeze on critical federal grants, seeking to ensure that funds are not blocked from reaching underserved and vulnerable populations.
• Oregon also participated in a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order aimed at reshaping elections across the country, which was filed alongside Washington state and focuses on the administration's overreach in attempting to dictate election procedures. Trump’s Executive Order requires updating the voting machines and requires proof of citizenship.

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Oregon is also a part of a coalition of 15 states suing over Trump’s efforts to fast-track energy-related projects, citing concerns about bypassing environmental protection laws and threatening endangered species and habitats. Why would Oregonians defend a law that has literally destroyed the state. Since the spotted owl scam, Oregon’s forest industry has collapsed turning rich rural counties into starving communities. It destroyed the Elliott Forest affecting school funding, and it’s being used as an excuse to regulate water supplies.

The "Safeguarding Oregon: Federal Oversight Series” is all about strategizing and evidence gathering to file more lawsuits. Notice, they don’t invite stories of success or good fortune. The Salem event will be held at Center 50+ on Wednesday, July 23 beginning at 6pm, with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, State Representatives Deb Patterson, Tom Andersen, and Paul Evans. You can RSVP at https://bit.ly/July23Salem.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-07-15 21:09:41

Last Update: 2025-07-15 22:11:29