Screenshot taken from Facebook video

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler excoriated the United States Department of Justice’s threats against sanctuary states and cities while at a national conference of mayors in Washington D.C. Wednesday.

A justice department official on Wednesday sent a letter to criminal justice officials from Oregon and 22 other sanctuary states, cities and counties demanding documents about their compliance with federal immigration laws and threatening to subpoena them for the documents if they do not produce them by deadline. Oregon could lose several millions of dollars in federal grants if the justice department finds it violated federal law, the letter said.

Wheeler did not mince words when stepping to a national microphone to denounce the action.

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“This is one of the most disappointing actions from a White House in my lifetime,” Wheeler said.

He called the justice department’s decision to send a threatening letter to state and city leaders ahead of a group of mayors going to the White House to meet with President Trump and his senior staffers “insulting.”

“It demonstrates a lack of a moral compass in the leadership of the United States of America,” he said.

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Susan Walsh, Associated Press

Wheeler also called comments from acting ICE director Thomas Homan earlier this month “dangerous.” Homan suggested leaders if sanctuary jurisdictions be held “personally accountable” if the justice department finds they are violating federal crimes.

“For a White House to threaten duly elected leaders who are following the law and following the United States constitution with arrest is unconscionable,” Wheeler said.

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Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press

He called on the American people to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration accountable.

“This is not the value of America,” Wheeler said. “This is not who we are fundamentally as a people and we will not stand for it.”

--Jessica Floum

jfloum@oregonian.com

503-221-8306

@cityhallwatch

@jfloum

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Click here to see 13 times Portland Mayor Wheeler threw shade at President Trump on Twitter.

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