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After facing months of legal back and forth with the federal administration, Oregon could lose nearly $18 million worth of terrorism prevention and emergency funding.

Now, after attaching new strings to counterterrorism and emergency management money for “sanctuary” states, the Trump administration has gone further by adding requirements that even Republican states are having a hard time meeting.

This morning, OPB investigative reporter and editor Tony Schick offers a deep dive into the monthslong homeland security funding saga, in partnership with ProPublica.

Here’s your First Look at Tuesday’s news.

— Sukhjot Sal

Oregon struggles to land federal counterterrorism money as Trump orders troops to stop ‘terrorists’ hindering ICE

Two months into President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration gave states an ultimatum: Cooperate with his team’s immigration crackdown or lose your federal homeland security funding.

Oregon and 19 other states fought back and won. A federal judge ruled in September that the Department of Homeland Security couldn’t attach such strings to its grants, which states rely on for counterterrorism and emergency planning. For Oregon, nearly $18 million was at stake. In the past, that money has paid for everything, from bomb detectors to a security analyst’s salary.

It wasn’t until October that the federal administration officially removed the immigration language that states opposed and a judge had ruled unlawful. But the administration continued to dangle the money out of reach, rolling out a new set of criteria that made it harder for all states to obtain any federal terror or emergency management funding at all.

Trump and his appointees have faced intense scrutiny since September, when he cited “violent radical left terrorism” as the reason for ordering National Guard troops to Portland. The city disputes the characterization and has been fighting the deployment in court.

Meanwhile, a quieter battle has been playing out over money to fight the extremist threats that emergency management officials say actually exist in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. (Tony Schick and ProPublica)

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3 things to know this morning

• If you ask Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, he has met his goal to open 1,500 new shelter beds by Dec. 1. Yet only 890 of those 1,500 beds are currently open for use. Wilson announced yesterday that he has identified locations for the 610 additional beds — spread across already-operating shelters and city-owned buildings across town. (Alex Zielinski)
• Since 2012, Portland voters have approved more than $4 billion in bonds to help rebuild and update nine schools. But progress on the modernizations has stalled. The district’s solution? Spend $61 million on a contract with Procedeo, a consulting firm, to oversee project management on the four modernization projects, as well as general administrative oversight of the district’s Office of School Modernization. (Elizabeth Miller)
• Providence Hospital in Seaside closed down its labor and delivery unit this fall, citing a growing list of challenges making it increasingly difficult to operate. Many other rural hospitals are in the same position, worrying many medical professionals. (Rachel Miller-Howard)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Attention Portland area drivers: I-205’s Abernethy Bridge to close overnight later this week (Courtney Sherwood)
• Oregon parks staff consider restricting refunds, changing fees to close $8M shortfall (April Ehrlich)
• An interview with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden on extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies (NPR)
• Budget cuts to public housing authority could worsen Portland’s affordable housing crisis (Alex Zielinski)
• Sundance proprietor Gavin McComas has died (KLCC)
• This small town near Mount Rainier comes together for community — and meat (Casey Martin)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Washington Attorney General draws criticism for using state resources for video reading ‘mean’ social media posts
• Nutrition INSIDE connects surplus food with correctional facilities in Oregon
• How 2 Oregon ranchers are using virtual fencing to bounce back from wildfires

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Here’s how to get a tree permit from Oregon’s National Forests

Have you ever wanted to cut down your own Christmas tree?

Now is the time, as Oregon’s national forests —including the Umpqua National Forest, Willamette National Forest, Siuslaw National Forest and Deschutes National Forest — are once again offering permits to cut down holiday trees.

In general, trees must be cut from a designated area and out of sight of main roads and recreation sites. Check with the specific national forest for additional details, including allowable tree species and height.

Tree hunters should bring a map, as cell phone service may be spotty and GPS directions might not be accurate.

Permits are $5 at recreation.gov, or in person at forest service offices, as well as some retail stores, including many BiMarts. (KLCC)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/02/first-look-oregon-could-lose-18-million-counterrorism-grants/