Federal immigration agents broke a driver's window during a traffic stop outside Century High School in Hillsboro on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The stop was part of a broader enforcement surge that advocates say has detained at least 21 people across Oregon since Tuesday, Oct. 6.
OPB, which first reported the enforcement spike, verified the Century High School stop using video footage. The incident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Whether anyone was detained remains unclear.
Hillsboro School District Chief Communications Officer Beth Graser said the district was aware of enforcement actions in neighborhoods surrounding its schools on Oct. 7 but said none occurred on campuses. The enforcement activity took place in communities neighboring Bethany, where the Washington County Sheriff's Office sanctuary policy applies.
The Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, known as PIRC, shared alerts about reported ICE activity in Hillsboro, Cornelius and Forest Grove, KATU reported. Hillsboro police said they became aware of incidents involving federal agents interacting with community members.
The Washington County activity followed a wave of arrests on Oct. 6, when PIRC confirmed at least nine people were detained across Gresham, Troutdale and eastern Portland. By Thursday, Oct. 8, advocates said at least 21 people had been detained statewide, with Washington County among the areas of concentrated activity, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.
Alyssa Walker Keller, co-director of PIRC, described Oct. 6 as a day with a "sharp uptick" in activity and said officers had shifted to more visible tactics after spending the summer relatively below the radar.
"It's been a very busy day … We saw a lot of concern from community members," Walker Keller told OPB on Oct. 6.
State Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, said he received reports of immigration agents at stores and public places in east Multnomah County and was hearing similar reports from Washington County.
Jess Montoya, network director of Oregon for All, said at an Oct. 8 press conference that enforcement reports were arriving from across the state. The coalition described the activity as "constant" and "escalating," KOIN reported.
ICE spokesperson Jason Chudy declined to say whether a new operation had started in Portland. He said agents "will continue to make arrests routinely across the United States."
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Sept. 27 that it initiated what it called a "nationwide public safety surge in sanctuary cities." The Statesman Journal reported that CNN obtained information showing ICE leadership told agents to increase daily arrests by 1,000 people, aiming for a goal of 3,000 arrests per day.
Washington County's sanctuary policy
Washington County, its cities and the Sheriff's Office follow Oregon's sanctuary law. The Washington County Law Enforcement Council stated in a published guide that local agencies do not collaborate with ICE, do not participate in federal immigration enforcement and do not ask about immigration status, as Cedar Mill News reported in February.
Sgt. DiPietro of the Washington County Sheriff's Office told Cedar Mill News in February that deputies do not honor administrative warrants issued by ICE. They will only assist with apprehensions backed by a warrant signed by a judge. No updated WCSO statement on the October surge was available as of publication.
What residents can do
PIRC operates a hotline where people can report immigration arrests. The organization cross-references calls with the Department of Homeland Security's publicly accessible detainee locator.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office has advised residents who witness a federal enforcement action to call 911 if they suspect someone is impersonating law enforcement or observe excessive force. For other concerns, residents can call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111.
