Hillsboro police turned away U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who walked into the department's main station lobby Oct. 7 seeking help, the city confirmed in a statement Friday, Oct. 16.
The ICE agents told police staff that vehicles were following them, according to the city's statement, first reported by the Hillsboro News-Times. Staff referred the agents to their own chain of command and told them Hillsboro police could not assist.
"The agents left the building without receiving assistance from (Hillsboro Police Department) staff," the city said.
The Oct. 7 visit happened the same day an ICE agent was escorted into a restricted area of the Forest Grove police station after asking to use the restroom. That encounter, captured on video, prompted a policy change in Forest Grove. The Forest Grove City Council has discussed hiring an independent investigator to review whether city policies were followed.
Earlier on Oct. 7, Hillsboro police also received reports of federal agents, or people who appeared to be federal agents, interacting with community members across the city, according to the statement. Officers responded and documented those encounters under state law and city policy.
The city reinforced its position in a social media post tied to the statement. It said Hillsboro police "do not take part in federal immigration enforcement," adding that "Oregon law prohibits it, and (the Hillsboro Police Department) will continue to follow it."
Hillsboro has held sanctuary city status since 2017. The city council unanimously adopted Ordinance 6513 on March 3, formally writing those protections into municipal code. The ordinance bars the city from using facilities, personnel or resources to assist federal immigration enforcement unless presented with a judicial warrant.
Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair proposed the ordinance. Under the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act, local police are prohibited from using public resources to enforce federal immigration laws. The restrictions do not prevent federal agents from operating within city limits.
The police station visit came during a period of heightened enforcement activity across the region. The Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition told the News-Times it verified 92 immigration arrests statewide in August, 76 in September and 31 between Oct. 6 and Oct. 8. In Washington County, the coalition documented 60 arrests from the start of 2026 through Oct. 8, including 15 in Hillsboro. The coalition cautioned that its figures likely undercount actual arrests.
As we reported Oct. 14, Hillsboro leads Washington County in documented ICE arrests this year.
The city council declared a local state of emergency in November 2025 over the impacts of immigration enforcement. The declaration directed staff to post signage identifying nonpublic areas of city buildings, expand outreach and strengthen employee training. The city has since committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations providing food, legal aid and rental assistance to affected residents and businesses.
Residents can find community resources and report concerns on the city's immigration resources page.
