At city hall meeting, Latinos ask for Hillsboro to become a sanctuary city

HILLSBORO, Ore. — One of the largest Hispanic communities in Oregon spoke out against the incoming president Tuesday night.

Latinos crowded into the Hillsboro City Hall meeting to demand equal rights.

President-elect Donald Trump has signaled that he plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, and residents asked Hillsboro to formally declare that it won’t help in that effort.

Mayor Jerry Willey said all residents, no matter their country of origin, are welcome in Hillsboro.

“Hillsboro is a safe city, it’s a welcoming city, we encourage our diversity, and we just want to take this opportunity to send a message to our citizens that we are fully committed to providing them a safe and vibrant community,” he said.

At the meeting, city leaders did not make it explicitly clear whether or not the city would self-designate as an official "sanctuary city" in dealing with federal immigration enforcement. The designation has become one of nationwide partisan controversy in recent years, and the next presidential administration's promises may exacerbate the debate.

• MORE | Here Are the Sanctuary Cities Ready to Resist Trump's Deportation Threats

Nearly 20 percent of Hillsboro’s population is Hispanic. In terms of raw totals, though, Hillsboro ranks behind Portland, Salem, Beaverton and Medford.

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