The Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency Monday night because of a surge in federal immigration enforcement in Forest Grove.
"Recently we have seen a pretty significant increase in ICE activity in Forest Grove and neighboring communities," Forest Grove City Manager Jesse VanderZanden told city council members during a Monday, Nov. 10 work session.
"It's my understanding that racial profiling is going on," Forest Grove Mayor Malynda Wenzl said during the city council meeting.
Forest Grove City Council President Mariana Valenzuela, who was born in Chile and said she came to the U.S. legally and has been a U.S. citizen for nearly 40 years, said she now carries her passport with her over fears she will be targeted by federal law enforcement.
"I am appalled at how much has been taken in terms of freedoms, in terms of humanity, basic humanity to one another," Valenzuela said. "It seems like we're walking on eggshells and there's really nothing we can do."
She described seeing masked ISIS and Al-Qaeda members on television after the September 11 attacks.
"And now we have people on our streets with their faces covered, and they're taking whoever looks Latino," she said.
The emergency declaration was adopted unanimously.
"Increased immigration enforcement within Forest Grove has caused residents to fear leaving their homes to go to work, school, access City services, take public transportation, attend medical appointments, and other necessary daily activities," one portion of the city's declaration read.
"Recent data from the State of Oregon shows a significant impact to immigrant’s health and well-being due to fear of being targeted and/or detained," the declaration continued.
The declaration said federal immigration enforcement activities in Forest Grove "constitute a significant effect on the health and well-being of the community, which provides cause to necessitate assistance from the City to alleviate the loss, hardship, or suffering resulting from such activity."
Read the full declaration below.
The emergency declaration is effective immediately and ends Dec. 31, 2025, unless extended by the city council.
The action authorizes up to $50,000 in municipal funds to be directed by the city manager toward community-based organizations offering services to people in Forest Grove impacted by federal immigration activities.
Under the city's policies as outlined by the Forest Grove Emergency Operations Plan and state law, the declaration allows the city to redirect their efforts and streamline the procurement of goods and services.
The declaration was adopted after testimony from more than a dozen audience members who spoke in person during the meeting and remotely via Zoom and in written remarks in support of Forest Grove's immigrant and Latino communities and against federal immigration law enforcement activities.
Councilors expressed support for further efforts to be taken at future meetings, including codifying Forest Grove as a sanctuary city, releasing a brochure on how to identify a Forest Grove police officer, encouraging Washington County to ditch a contract they have with Flock Safety, and coordinate with other local municipalities and organizations to raise federal immigration issues to state and federal officials.
The declaration follows the example of Washington County, who declared a similar emergency on Nov. 4 and other local jurisdictions like the city of Hillsboro.
Audio or video from the meeting has not yet been published by the city of Forest Grove, which is closed for Veterans Day. Links to recordings will be added here as soon as they are available.
