Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., state Rep. Jason Kropf and state Sen. Anthony Broadman heard from local residents about issues relating to the Trump administration’s actions and executive orders Saturday morning at Oregon State University-Cascades.

“Every single day, the Trump administration is making decisions that are impacting all of our lives,” Rayfield said. “Whether you’re in a nonprofit, whether you’re in a school, whether you’re front-line law enforcement and they’re doing these things in the dark. Normally, when you make these decisions in a democracy, you’re doing those things with public input, and that is not the current (status), and that’s why we are here today.”

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, there has been an avalanche of executive orders and policy initiatives targeting immigration, social programs and federal spending many states, including Oregon, rely on to serve their populations. While supporters say the actions reflect a long-overdue effort to reduce federal overreach and prioritize national security, critics say such actions threaten vital services, undermine the social safety net and shift financial burdens onto states.

The state of Oregon is engaged in 16 lawsuits against the Trump administration, Rayfield said, which aim to protect the $1.6 billion in federal funding that is coming into Oregon.

“Congress is supposed to be the place where we defend the ideas and the principles that people back home want us to,” said Bynum in her opening remarks. “I don’t fly 3,000 miles back and forth twice a week just to be silenced. I don’t leave my family for that. I am fighting for you. So whether it is our young people, our kids, the next generation, our children’s children or our seniors, who deserve to retire in dignity.”

Democrats are fighting in the courts and committee rooms, said Bynum.

“The power of the people is greater than the people in power,” she said.

Broadman is the budget co-chair for the subcommittee on public safety of the Joint Committee On Ways and Means and spoke about ensuring that Oregon is a sustainable place for everyone.

“As the attorney general said, we do not have a general fund we can backfill the kind of cuts that we are seeing from the federal government. That does not mean we aren’t fighting back, we are,” said Broadman.

Kropf said he believes in the resiliency of the country and the power of the community.

Constitutional law professor Norman Williams, from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, moderated the forum. This is the third in a series focused on federal oversight and the Trump administration’s actions and orders. The other two have been held in Eugene and Portland, and there are additional forums that will be scheduled.

Panel of school board members, mayor, Latino Community Association

Bend-La Pine School board members Kina Chadwick and Marcus LeGrand, as well as Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler and Latino Community Association Deputy Director Mary Murphy spoke about different issues affecting Oregonians as part of a panel.

Kebler spoke about grants that are threatened under the Trump administration, including federal emergency management grants to prepare for wildfires that have already had funds frozen.

“We at the city have done a very good job in recent years of being able to get federal grants and federal money to fund the projects that our community needs. And those grants were grants that were awarded, they were given to us, they were promised to us. And as soon as January 20 hit, chaos ensued,” said Kebler. “And it’s incredibly shortsighted, wasteful and inefficient to stop these funds that are helping us to prepare and be ready, so everyone in our community can be as safe as possible if that should happen.”

Chadwick spoke about protecting transgender and LGBTQ+ students.

“These students are not okay, every day. They don’t know what’s going to happen with their family. They don’t know what’s going to happen the minute they leave their homes,” she said. “So again, I would love to see support, whether it’s a trusted adult facilitator bring these kids together so they can express what’s going on in their minds.”

LeGrand spoke about worries over school funding and what may happen if public education is defunded.

“What are we gonna do: have to work together. Because we know what’s going to be impacted the most is rural areas, and we’re considered rural,” said LeGrand. “Understand that we’re fighting, but it’s more than just fighting.”

Murphy spoke about Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state and recent attempted immigration raids in the area. Bynum said she had not heard about the attempted raids and encouraged people to call her office to inform her of concerns and possible raids.

“In Central Oregon, immigrant and Latinx families are essential to the fabrics of our communities here,” said Murphy. “There also the most vulnerable to be at risk for the growing threats of these executive orders.”

The question and answer section touched upon privacy laws, education, judicial independence and protection for students with disabilities.