Immigration arrests rose sharply across Oregon this week, with 21 confirmed between Tuesday and Thursday, according to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, which tracks and verifies arrests. The coalition confirmed 92 arrests statewide in all of August and 76 in September. The reported arrests came less than a week after federal officials confirmed plans for increased immigration enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions, without identifying which cities or states would be targeted. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Thursday that the agency could not discuss specific operations for security and safety reasons, adding that it enforces federal law nationwide. Arrests were reported in Portland, Hillsboro, Woodburn and Salem, among other communities. Oregon for All network director Jess Montoya said enforcement activity continued Thursday in Salem, King City, Happy Valley, Tangent and Medford. “Those numbers represent real lives that are being shattered,” Montoya said at a Thursday news conference, where immigrant-rights advocates urged cities and state leaders to do more to protect immigrant Oregonians. “It’s not just alarming, it’s heartbreaking,” she said. One arrest occurred Wednesday morning near Century High School in Hillsboro. The Hillsboro School District said the arrest was not on school property and did not affect students, so parents were not notified. The district said schools remain safe for students and families and that it does not track students’ immigration status. The arrest took place close enough to the campus that the school appeared in videos recorded from multiple angles. Federal officials last year reversed policies that had restricted immigration arrests at or near sensitive locations, including schools, hospitals and churches. The reported increase follows a broader rise in immigration enforcement that began in Oregon in spring and continued through summer. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data compiled by the Data Deportation Project showed 2,472 arrests in Oregon from Jan. 1, 2025, through Aug. 5, 2026. Arrests dipped in February and March after a period of intense enforcement the previous fall, before activity picked up again. Alyssa Walker Keller, a coordinator with the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, said detentions were also occurring outside big-box stores and supermarkets. She encouraged people to learn their rights, keep the coalition’s phone number handy and report arrests so the group can connect those affected with resources. The recent activity has also prompted scrutiny of local police practices. After a video circulated showing an ICE officer being escorted to use a restroom at the Forest Grove Police Department, the city said its previous policy allowed community members and law enforcement officers to use the restroom in an authorized personnel area. Following community concerns, the department said federal officers and members of the public would no longer be allowed access to those restrooms. Forest Grove Mayor Malynda Wenzl apologized for the concern the incident caused, saying officials want residents to feel safe seeking help from police. Hillsboro police said officers responded to reported incidents and documented them under state law and city policy. Montoya urged local officials to be transparent about steps they are taking to prevent state and local resources from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement. “Your community is watching,” she said.