Portland, Oregon, officials across the city government are instructed to call an activist group for help if they spot Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and to record their actions for potential legal cases, according to a November memo exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

City workers should call a hotline to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) when ICE appears, demand that the agency present judicial warrants for access to buildings and send documentation of any ICE incident to the city attorney, the memo says. “PIRC will activate MigraWatch volunteers to investigate and confirm reports of ICE,” reads the document, which is labeled an “Employee Guide” for interacting with immigration authorities.

The memo gives several precautions for what employees should tell ICE agents who approach them, urging as much secrecy as possible for the migrants they seek. “Do not say whether an employee or any other individual is working, present or not … Do not lie to an agent, but do not volunteer information if the agent has not asked for it.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: College Says Employee Hurt Its ‘Reputation’ By Helping FBI Catch Leftist Riot Suspect)

🚨 Behind the Scenes with ICE in Oregon, a sanctuary state that puts agents and children at risk, with Daily Caller News Foundation’s @haileyggomez pic.twitter.com/YWOKsxaWau

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 17, 2025

ICE, the city’s press team and the PIRC did not respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment. The PIRC works in a building across the street from Portland’s ICE facility, Fox 12 reported.

“Information collected by MigraWatch may be posted on social media to inform the community and prompt legal support and mutual aid to be mobilized,” the guide tells employees.

Oregon’s longstanding “sanctuary” policies ban local officials from helping ICE catch migrants without a judicial warrant. The system allows convicted criminals to walk free from jail against ICE’s wishes, requiring the agency to track them down independently, the DCNF previously reported. Portland and other jurisdictions are suing the Trump administration for denying federal funds over their sanctuary policies.

Portland Police Bureau employees are now required to complete online training related to the November memo, a Portland police officer told the DCNF.

The memo largely reflects legislation that the Portland city council passed in October to further resist President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts. The measures urged Democratic Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to train all city staff in “how to report to” the PIRC and “roleplaying scenarios” for different ICE encounters, as well as work with “immigrant rights advocates” and other groups on building so-called rapid response networks.

“Do not hide, shield or assist anyone avoiding ICE, and do not physically interfere with ICE agents,” the document warns. “These actions could lead to arrest.” It also suggests that employees invoke their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent if they are not required to answer a certain question.

When documenting an ICE encounter, workers should record the number of agents and vehicles, the location, equipment used, the agents’ behavior and when the incident occurred, the guide says. “If someone is detained, ask them for their name, their date of birth, and ask the agents where they are taking them,” it reads.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].