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Hillsboro City Council Continues Discussion on Sanctuary Protections and Human Rights Office Proposal

Post Date:01/22/2026

During the January 20 work session, the Hillsboro City Council discussed implementing Sanctuary City protections into local code and a proposal to establish a Human Rights Office. While Council members did not reach consensus on either proposal, they agreed to gather feedback from community-based organizations. The Council also received several updates on other work underway to respond to the negative impacts of ICE within our community.

Implementation of the City’s Sanctuary Status in Code & Policy

City staff presented a proposal to codify Hillsboro's sanctuary status into municipal code and policy, building on existing state law that limits the City’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Council members asked staff to review a codification proposal submitted as written testimony, and to reach out to community-based organizations for further input.

Human Rights Office Discussion Continues

The Council discussed a proposal to establish a dedicated Human Rights Office, including a review of associated costs, but did not reach consensus. Council members asked staff to revisit this discussion once the Human Rights Community Advisory Committee is established.

Additional Topics Discussed

Council members also discussed automatic license plate readers and ICE interaction reporting procedures. A Councilor requested staff explore the possibility of an eviction moratorium for regulated affordable housing units.

What's Next

Immediate Actions:

Council members will review sanctuary codification materials at the March 3, 2026 meeting
Sanctuary codification proposal materials including analyses will be shared with community-based organizations for feedback
Council will review the Community Advisory Committee charter and provide feedback to the City Manager