Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler condemned the arrest of a Southeast Portland immigrant by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Sunday and questioned the ability of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to withhold funds from the city following a threat to that effect by Sessions Monday.

Federal immigration officials arrested 25-year-old Francisco K. Rodriguez Dominguez in his Southeast Portland home Sunday. Rodriguez Dominguez last year was charged with a misdemeanor driving under the influence. However, he had received clearance under President Barack Obama's 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy that granted some undocumented immigrants brought the United States as children renewable two-year deportation deferments.

"This arrest does nothing to promote public safety," Wheeler said in a statement. "Instead, actions like this only serve to tear apart our community and needlessly alter the lives of our residents. The city had no role in this arrest and I am against it."

Sessions said in a Monday press conference that the federal government will take "all lawful steps to claw back any funds" awarded to a so-called sanctuary city that refuses to use city resources to enforce federal immigration laws. Session said failing to assist with federal immigration enforcement violates a federal rule.

"All of this is happening in an environment that contains a lot of heated rhetoric but not a lot of facts," Wheeler said.

The mayor said his office spoke with immigration and U.S. Department of Justice officials to ask them not to deport Portland residents who aren't serious criminals. He also warned local residents that immigration officials' can operate in the city without informing city officials.

"Today my administration spoke with both ICE and DOJ about our concern that their actions tremendous damage they are doing to the social, civic, and economic life of our city," Wheeler said. "The City of Portland, our police bureau, and our employees do not cooperate with ICE."

He encouraged people to learn more about their rights regarding immigration enforcement by visiting the Oregon Immigration Resource website.

--Jessica Floum

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