The Washington County Sheriff's Office approved 4 of 15 U visa certification requests from immigrant crime victims in 2025. That 27% rate is less than half the 77% statewide average, according to an Oregon Criminal Justice Commission report released in August.

The sheriff's office was not alone. Hillsboro Police approved 6 of 28 requests, roughly 21%. Beaverton Police approved 5 of 19, about 26%. Together, the three agencies averaged a 24% approval rate, as OPB first reported on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

A U visa certification is the first step for an immigrant crime victim seeking federal protection. Local law enforcement signs off that the reported crime qualifies and that the victim cooperated with investigators. The certification does not grant a visa. That decision rests with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Congress created the U visa program in 2000 to help law enforcement investigate domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and other crimes while protecting victims who come forward.

Statewide, Oregon law enforcement agencies received 575 U visa requests in 2025 and approved 446, according to the commission report. Immigrant crime victims filed 897 total requests to police and prosecutors statewide, up from 712 in 2024.

At least 197 people in Washington County requested U certifications from law enforcement in 2025, OPB reported. The county also accounted for 33.5% of statewide ICE arrests from July through December 2025, according to data from the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition.

Mercedes Elizalde, director of advocacy at Latino Network, told OPB that without broad community cooperation, police struggle to investigate crimes. The U visa process, she said, helps keep immigrant witnesses and victims in their communities so they can assist investigations.

"This is one of those ways that we make it possible for community members to stay present in the local community to provide that support for investigation," Elizalde said.

The Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Caprice Massey, offered a different accounting of its numbers in an email to OPB. The office said it received 16 requests, with two duplicates. It said four were referred elsewhere, three were granted and nine were denied for what it called ineligibility or the absence of a qualifying crime. The commission's data shows 4 approved, 8 denied and 3 pending out of 15 total.

Of the commission's recorded 8 denials, 7 were attributed to a finding that no qualifying criminal activity occurred. One was listed under "other lawful reason."

Hillsboro Police told OPB that of 22 denied requests, 14 were forwarded to the Washington County District Attorney's Office. The DA's office approved 85 of 120 requests it received, a 71% rate closer to the statewide average.

By contrast, the Portland Police Bureau approved 192 of 207 requests, a 93% rate. That agency had a lower rate around 2022 before Latino Network worked with the bureau to improve training and review protocols, according to OPB's reporting.

Portland immigration attorney Patrick Sherwood noted that agencies like the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Hillsboro Police and Beaverton Police lack an ombudsman's office. That mechanism helped identify and correct Portland's training gaps.

Beaverton Police did not respond to OPB's inquiries about its approval rate.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines state that a current investigation, filing of charges or prosecution are not required for law enforcement to sign a U certification.

The commission's reporting requirement, established under Senate Bill 597 in 2023, is set to expire on Jan. 2, 2027. The August report may be the last one required under that law.

Residents who have been victims of a crime can learn more about U visa certification through the Washington County District Attorney's Office or Latino Network.