A decision by Portland city councilors to accept a federal transportation grant that also requires cooperation with immigration authorities drew a small group of protesters to city hall Thursday morning.
The council accepted $21 million back in January, but that was before Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy made compliance with ICE a requirement for all grant recipients.
"We're here to tell the mayor and the city councilors in Portland that we don't want any agreement with ICE to be signed in our name," resident Joey Brunell said on Congress St.
Kate Sykes represents the North Deering neighborhood on the council. She said the decision to take on the grant goes against Portland's values as a sanctuary city.
"I don't think that we should be complicit in this behavior, this really reprehensible behavior on the part of the federal government to strong arm cities into, you know, conscript us into their federal agenda," she said.
In May, Maine joined a lawsuit that successfully blocked Duffy's directive. Hundreds of grants are awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation every year.
Another special City Council meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday. Portland Mayor Mark Dion is holding a press conference this afternoon.
This story will be updated.
