A quieter immigration enforcement surge hits Oregon
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Immigration arrests are rising again across Oregon, but without the highly visible raids, videos and public confrontations that marked last fall's enforcement surge.
Why it matters: The quieter tactics local advocates say federal agents are using — targeting residents of rural communities or people as they commute to work — are renewing fear for families, leading some to avoid going to medical appointments or the grocery store.
Driving the news: The Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) documented 42 arrests in the state during the first half of July, per the Oregonian.
- That's on pace to surpass the 64 arrests reported in June.
- Reports of arrests dipped following the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota in January, but they began picking up later in the spring.
- PIRC reported 30 arrests in April and 47 in May, though the figures are likely an undercount because detentions are largely self-reported to the coalition's hotline.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Axios' request for information on activity and arrest rates.
Flashback: PIRC's hotline received more than 700 calls in October last year, many of them reporting ICE activity or sightings.
- Videos on social media and news reports documented heated public arrests across the Portland metro area, including encounters in which witnesses and detainees alleged agents used excessive force.
What they're saying: Mayor Keith Wilson, all 12 city council members and city administrator Raymond Lee denounced the "silent surge" of immigration enforcement activity this week.
- "While federal immigration is beyond the City's authority, our commitment to our immigrant communities is not," they wrote in a statement, pledging to strengthen sanctuary protocols and to host forums connecting residents with resources and constitutional rights education.
Meanwhile, Oregon U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined other Democratic lawmakers in Congress calling for more accountability for ICE agents — including the use of body cams — after a string of deadly encounters linked to immigration enforcement earlier this month.
The bottom line: Advocates with PIRC and the Latino Network told the Oregonian they will continue offering Know Your Rights education and helping families prepare for the possibility that a parent or loved one is detained.