The Hillsboro City Council in Oregon, a sanctuary city, unanimously declared a state of emergency Tuesday in response to escalating federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, including the high-profile case of Victor Cruz.
The emergency resolution, effective immediately, condemns "the misuse of immigration enforcement to detain and deport individuals who are lawfully present in the United States," and warns that recent ICE tactics have generated "widespread fear in the community."
Democrat Mayor Beach Pace told Fox 12 the action is largely symbolic but comes amid intense public pressure.
Two weeks earlier, more than three hours of testimony from business owners, parents, advocates, and children urged the city to intervene as ICE activity increased across neighborhoods and commercial areas.
The resolution asserts that ICE conduct — including masked agents refusing identification and detaining U.S. citizens and legal residents without warrants — has produced a "dangerous escalation of the erosion of democratic norms and the rule of law."
Community members described families afraid to leave their homes.
Bridget Cooke, executive director of Adelante Mujeres, told Fox 12 that illegal migrant parents are "terrified to go to doctors' appointments" or work.
A school counselor told council members that educators are buying groceries for families because "ICE is hiding in grocery store parking lots."
Since the outcry began Nov. 4, Hillsboro has budgeted $200,000 for grants supporting families and businesses affected by enforcement actions. Still, residents are pushing for deeper structural changes.
During a work session, councilors reviewed proposals including a civil- and human-rights office, new data-tracking efforts for detained residents, and partnerships with community groups to monitor federal enforcement impacts.
The resolution also reaffirms Hillsboro's commitment to Oregon's Sanctuary Promise Act and states that city resources "will not be used to enforce federal immigration laws."
Councilors are expected to continue debating next steps in the coming weeks as the city confronts what leaders describe as a rapidly escalating crisis.
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