Federal immigration agents broke out a driver's window during a traffic stop near Century High School in Hillsboro shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, as part of a metro-wide enforcement surge.
Video footage of the incident was reviewed by OPB, which first reported the story. Whether anyone was detained remained unclear.
Hillsboro School District Chief Communications Officer Beth Graser said the district "was aware of enforcement actions happening in neighborhoods surrounding district schools" on Wednesday but that none occurred on campuses.
Surge spans multiple counties
The Hillsboro incident came as immigration arrests spiked across the Portland metro area. At least nine people were confirmed detained on Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Gresham, Troutdale and parts of eastern Portland, according to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC). OPB also verified an apprehension outside a downtown Woodburn restaurant on Wednesday, among other enforcement actions in Washington and Marion counties.
Alyssa Walker Keller, co-executive director of the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, told OPB that Tuesday saw a "sharp uptick" in activity. She said immigration officers appeared to shift tactics to be more visible after spending the summer relatively below the radar.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security posted on social media Sept. 27 that it had "initiated a nationwide public safety surge in sanctuary cities." A U.S. ICE spokesperson declined to confirm to OPB whether a new operation had started in Portland, saying only that agents "will continue to make arrests routinely across the United States."
Comparisons to Operation Black Rose
The enforcement wave is drawing comparisons to last fall's Operation Black Rose, a federal immigration sweep in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon's monthly immigration arrests peaked at 484 in November 2025 during that operation, according to data from the Deportation Data Project. Arrests fell to 30 in March 2026 before climbing again to 186 in June and 174 in July. Statewide figures for August and September were not yet available.
State Rep. Ricki Ruiz, a Gresham Democrat, said community members noted similarities between the tactics used during Operation Black Rose and what they saw the week of Oct. 6.
Hillsboro's sanctuary city stance
Hillsboro has been a sanctuary city since March 2017. The Hillsboro Police Department does not coordinate with ICE or enforce immigration law, and city public safety officers do not inquire about immigration status, according to the city's immigration resources page.
In a joint statement published March 18 on that page, Mayor Beach Pace and Police Chief Jim Coleman acknowledged community fear and said the city cannot prevent federal enforcement but wants residents to feel safe and supported.
Immigration attorneys at Portland-based nonprofit CLEAR Clinic reported difficulty reaching new detainees inside the ICE detention facility in Portland. Attorney Josie Moberg told OPB she was turned away a dozen times from the facility on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken on Sept. 30 denied a CLEAR Clinic lawsuit seeking to guarantee detainees access to attorneys before being transferred out of state.
Residents who witness ICE activity or need to locate a detained family member can call the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition's 24/7 hotline at 1-888-622-1510.
