Hillsboro A Sanctuary City As Mayor Casts Tie-Breaking Vote

After deliberating over the issue since December, the Hillsboro City Council voted to designate the city a sanctuary at its meeting Tuesday.

Following nearly four hours of testimony that drew voices from both sides of the issue, Mayor Steve Callaway offered the tie-breaking ‘aye’ vote, ostensibly putting to rest a conversation that began Dec. 6 when local activist groups first demanded the city act in response to then-president elect Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States.

City councils in Beaverton and Portland have also made sanctuary city declarations, while Forest Grove's city council voted against the designation Jan. 23.

Although Hillsboro’s March 7 declaration does little to prevent President Trump’s promise from becoming a local reality, the vote is a symbolic message to city residents who are fearful of losing friends and family to deportation that the city will stand in solidarity with its immigrant community –– even if it cannot stop federal Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from detaining Hillsboro’s undocumented residents.

According to a city statement, state law does not allow law enforcement agencies in Oregon to use money, equipment or personnel to detect or apprehend people whose only violation of law is that they are citizens of a foreign country who are in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws.

City Attorney Chad Jacobs previously said the vote wouldn’t change business as usual in Hillsboro, as the city already follows Oregon sanctuary state law, but the vote nevertheless comes as a relief to many who said the city wasn’t doing as much as it could to protect its residents.

"This is not a protest vote of our president," Callaway said. "This is not a vote to protect fugitives and people that are engaged in criminal activity or living a life of crime. For me, this is a vote to say to children who have grown up and done the right things, have gone to school and worked hard, that we do support you."

For answers to key questions about what the sanctuary city designation means in Hillsboro, visit Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/news. And for a complete run-down of the March 7 city council meeting, read the Hillsboro Tribune story here.

Photo courtesy Tualatin Valley Community TV