PORTLAND – City Councilor John Griffin wants to overturn an ordinance that bans police and other municipal employees from routinely asking people about their immigration status.

Griffin believes the ordinance, approved Monday by a 7-2 council vote, may violate a 1996 federal law that prohibits municipalities from restricting employees from reporting illegal immigrants to authorities.

He pointed to last Friday’s decision by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to lift a 13-year-old executive order, issued by former Mayor Ed Koch, that blocked city employees from reporting illegal immigrants.

The New York order aimed to encourage aliens to avail themselves of city services, including health care, education and law enforcement, without fear of being reported or deported.

Bloomberg’s order lifted the outright ban on reporting illegal immigrants because it violated the 1996 federal law.

However, the New York order still prohibits city employees from asking about immigration status unless it is required by law or necessary to determine whether someone is eligible for city services.

Portland’s ordinance allows police and other city employees to ask about immigration status only when a person is suspected of committing a felony, having been previously deported, or being a threat to national security, or when otherwise required by law or court order.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Griffin said. “If you can’t ask people about their immigration status, how are you supposed to know if they’re illegal and should be reported?”

Griffin drew criticism from other councilors when he suggested the ordinance would attract illegal immigrants, terrorists and Muslim groups that want to overthrow the American government.

Griffin said he has asked City Attorney Gary Wood to review the ordinance to make sure it doesn’t violate federal law.