HILLSBORO, OREGON The city of Hillsboro has declared a state of emergency over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, saying aggressive tactics by federal agents have driven families indoors, emptied classrooms and left entire neighborhoods on edge. The emergency declaration, approved unanimously by the Hillsboro City Council on November 18, 2025, is one of the strongest public rebukes of immigration enforcement the city has issued in recent years.
The move comes after weeks of rising tension over what local officials describe as unconstitutional and harmful actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE. Hillsboro’s leaders say the surge in operations has shaken trust in public institutions and left immigrant residents, including people with legal status, too afraid to go to work, send their children to school or seek basic services.
At the center of public outrage is the case of Victor Cruz, a local grandfather with a valid work permit who was arrested and held for 24 days after ICE agents allegedly mistook him for someone else. His detention, which the city says should never have happened, has become a symbol of what residents describe as a system that punishes people who have “never have any kind of problems with any law enforcement” and offers little explanation or recourse when mistakes are made.
“It is terrifying for our regular people that never have any kind of problems with any law enforcement. It is nothing that I can wish for anybody.”
Victor Cruz said, describing the fear that has spread through his family and neighbors even after his release. City officials say Cruz’s relatives still live with the constant worry that agents could return, and that similar arrests could happen again without warning.
The state of emergency resolution lays out a detailed list of tactics Hillsboro is condemning. According to the city, ICE agents have arrested and detained residents without due process, refused to share reasons for those arrests, and declined to disclose where people were being taken. Officials say officers have worn masks, refused to identify themselves, and questioned people about their immigration status based on race, ethnicity, language or simply being present at certain locations.
The city says those practices have rippled far beyond the immediate targets of enforcement. The declaration notes that some residents now avoid work shifts, medical appointments, and even city services because they fear running into federal agents. Parents are keeping their children at home rather than risk encounters on the way to school or outside campuses, compounding the economic and emotional strain on families already living on tight budgets.
Beach Pace said the fallout from ICE activity is visible in classrooms, workplaces and grocery lines across Hillsboro.
“What that is causing is some kids are staying home from school and some community members are staying home from work, which then has an impact on their income, their ability to buy food, their ability to get clothes or whatever they need to support their family,”
Beach Pace said. For many families, city officials add, staying inside is a short-term form of protection that is quickly turning into a long-term crisis.
In response, the Hillsboro City Council used the state of emergency declaration to reinforce and expand the city’s sanctuary policies. The resolution explicitly strengthens Hillsboro’s status as a sanctuary city, reaffirming that local resources, including police, staff and facilities, will not be used to enforce federal immigration law. Officials say the goal is to create a clearer line between city services and federal operations so that residents are not afraid to seek help.
The declaration also orders new training for city employees on how to handle interactions with ICE. Staff across departments will be instructed on what federal agents can and cannot do inside city buildings and public spaces, as well as what information the city is allowed to share. Hillsboro leaders say they want to ensure that no local actions unintentionally support raids, detentions or questioning that residents say are based on appearance or language rather than concrete evidence.
Plan to attend or submit input for upcoming council meetings about safeguards; include specific concerns on school access, work interruptions, and how to protect families during ICE operations.
One practical step spelled out in the state of emergency is a requirement for clearer signage to separate public and private areas within city facilities and other relevant locations. Hillsboro plans to mark private spaces more explicitly so that ICE agents cannot enter those areas without a judicial warrant. City officials say they have heard repeated reports of residents feeling unsure about where agents are legally allowed to go, and want to remove any confusion that might make people more vulnerable to questioning or arrest.
The resolution goes beyond local measures and directly calls on Congress and Oregon’s federal delegation to act. Hillsboro is urging lawmakers to pass immigration reform and to put in place more oversight of ICE operations. By doing so, city leaders hope to move beyond emergency responses and address what they describe as systemic problems that have put communities like Hillsboro in conflict with federal enforcement strategies.
The emergency declaration notes that Hillsboro is not alone in its concerns. According to the city, several nearby communities have also expressed alarm over ICE activity and are watching Hillsboro’s steps closely. While the statement does not name those cities, Hillsboro officials say they are in contact with neighboring jurisdictions that are weighing how to protect residents while federal enforcement continues.
Inside the city, the response has drawn together immigrant rights groups, legal service providers, schools and faith leaders. Hillsboro says it is working with advocates and institutions to set up support programs for people affected by ICE actions, including help for families dealing with lost income, disrupted schooling and the trauma of sudden arrests. For many community leaders, the state of emergency is as much a signal of solidarity as it is a legal tool.
Community members, especially parents and students, have pressed city officials to demand that ICE stop targeting families and young people. Many have asked the council to send a clear message that school grounds, campuses and routes to and from classrooms should not be sites of fear. In public meetings and private conversations, residents have described children waking at night worried that a parent might not come home from work, and teenagers skipping classes rather than risk being stopped outside school.
The council has responded by inviting more public input and pledging to discuss additional safeguards in upcoming meetings. Officials say they expect residents, teachers, health workers and business owners to speak about how ICE operations have reshaped daily routines in Hillsboro. The state of emergency gives the city a framework to consider new measures quickly if the situation worsens or if more incidents like Victor Cruz’s detention emerge.
City leaders argue that their stance is not about blocking all contact with federal authorities but about drawing limits when they believe basic rights are at stake. By putting their concerns in a formal resolution, they say they are documenting a pattern of behavior they see as incompatible with constitutional protections, especially for people who have work permits or other legal status and still find themselves detained.
For many in Hillsboro, the language of the declaration reflects the reality they say they live with every day. Residents describe planning trips to the grocery store around reports of ICE vehicles in certain areas, postponing doctor visits, and arranging backup childcare in case a parent does not return from a shift. The city’s leaders argue that this climate of fear, rather than any one individual arrest, is what made a state of emergency necessary.
While the declaration does not change federal law or stop ICE from operating in Hillsboro, it signals that local authorities want more control over how those operations intersect with city life. Officials say they hope the combination of sanctuary protections, staff training, clearer signage and public pressure will give residents more confidence that City Hall is on their side even as federal enforcement continues.
The situation in Hillsboro highlights the deep tension between national immigration policy and local efforts to maintain trust with diverse communities. As the state of emergency takes effect, city officials say they will watch closely how ICE responds, whether arrests continue at the same pace, and how residents adapt. For families like Victor Cruz’s, the test will be whether the fear that now keeps children home from school and parents from work begins to ease, or whether federal actions outpace local attempts to protect them.
Hillsboro unanimously declared a state of emergency on Nov. 18, 2025, responding to intensified ICE operations that officials say have driven families indoors, reduced school attendance, and eroded trust. The detention of Victor Cruz for 24 days despite a valid work permit galvanized public outrage. The city reinforced sanctuary policies, ordered staff training, and mandated clearer signage to protect private spaces. Hillsboro also urged federal lawmakers to increase oversight and is coordinating with community groups to support affected families.
