Democratic attorneys general from five states held a clandestine meeting in Portland to coordinate resistance against President Trump’s immigration enforcement, deliberately avoiding public notice while plotting legal strategies to obstruct federal law enforcement operations.
Secret Coalition Convenes in Portland
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield hosted Democratic attorneys general from California, Minnesota, Hawaii, and Maine at a private meeting in Southeast Portland on January 21-22, 2026. The gathering received no press releases or email notifications to media outlets, despite Rayfield’s typically active public communications strategy. His website briefly listed the event days before January 23, but disappeared without formal announcement. Following the primary session, attendees held an additional closed-door discussion with non-profit leaders at a local auditorium, limiting attendance to pre-selected activists while excluding broader media coverage and public participation.
Have you RSVP'd yet for our Federal Oversight & Accountability Town Hall in Portland on Wednesday?
We're hosting 4 state AGs to talk about our work holding the federal administration accountable – and our plans for 2026. Join us: https://t.co/qQ8cDnwBd4#orpol pic.twitter.com/Hy1goxFKRn
— Attorney General Dan Rayfield (@AGDanRayfield) January 20, 2026
Coordinated Legal Warfare Against Federal Enforcement
California Attorney General Rob Bonta revealed the coalition has filed more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration since January 2025, maintaining a pace exceeding one lawsuit weekly. These legal challenges target immigration enforcement policies, tariffs, and birthright citizenship protections. The attorneys general have continued their pattern from Trump’s first term when Democratic state officials coordinated similar resistance efforts through the courts. Minnesota AG Keith Ellison specifically referenced the Renee Good case from late 2025, where an ICE agent killed the Minneapolis resident, criticizing the Department of Justice for failing to investigate federal agents involved in the incident.
ICE Shootings Fuel Anti-Federal Sentiment
The Portland meeting followed a January 2026 ICE shooting outside a hospital that wounded two individuals during an immigration operation. Oregon AG Rayfield vowed to investigate and pursue potential charges against federal agents involved. These incidents mirror the late 2025 Renee Good shooting in Minneapolis, which Minnesota AG Ellison used to justify increased state-level resistance to federal immigration enforcement. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called for a pause in ICE operations, while Rayfield joined other Oregon officials demanding the Department of Homeland Security halt what they characterized as unlawful use of force against residents in sanctuary cities.
West Coast Push to Handcuff Local Law Enforcement
Washington state legislators advanced bills designed to restrict local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Proposed legislation would ban police departments from hiring former ICE agents and prohibit federal officers from wearing masks during operations. Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank testified against these measures on January 16, 2026, receiving an official reprimand for his opposition. The sheriff threatened defiance if the bills pass, arguing they undermine local autonomy and public safety. These efforts represent a broader West Coast strategy to insulate sanctuary policies from federal enforcement, potentially setting a national precedent for state-level obstruction of immigration law.
Federal Pushback Against Sanctuary Obstruction
The Trump administration Department of Justice, led by appointees including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, has demanded Portland police records related to protests and use-of-force incidents. Federal authorities are investigating potential viewpoint discrimination in how Portland law enforcement handles protests against ICE operations compared to other demonstrations. This dispute leverages Portland’s 2012 DOJ settlement on police use-of-force, which the Trump administration now uses to access records about protest policing. Federal Judge Simon questioned the DOJ’s motives, noting concerns about viewpoint discrimination, while the Trump administration maintains it seeks accountability for selective enforcement protecting anti-ICE activists while prosecuting conservative demonstrators.
West Coast, Messed Coast™ — Anti-ICE Attorneys General — Like This Guy — Met Secretly in Portland https://t.co/FGhyPLNVqd
— Victoria Taft, The Adult in the Room, FITF Squad (@VictoriaTaft) January 23, 2026
Constitutional Concerns and Rule of Law
This coordinated resistance by state attorneys general raises fundamental questions about federalism and the constitutional duty to enforce immigration law. While these officials claim to protect civil rights, their obstruction of federal law enforcement undermines the rule of law and creates conflicting jurisdictions where immigration statutes cannot be uniformly applied. The secrecy surrounding the Portland meeting—avoiding transparency despite public funding of attendees’ travel and time—suggests awareness that voters might disapprove of state resources dedicated to protecting illegal immigrants over citizen safety. The strategy appears designed to make immigration enforcement so legally burdensome and physically dangerous that federal agents cannot effectively execute congressionally mandated duties, essentially nullifying democratically enacted laws through administrative and judicial warfare.
Sources:
Portland Oregon ICE Protest Trump Footage Court – OPB
Attorneys General Come to Oregon Touting Their Fight Against President Donald Trump – NBC
Anger and Outrage Spill Onto Streets of Portland and Minneapolis After ICE Shootings – Click Orlando