Portland church worker and longtime immigration activist Francisco Aguirre is set to report for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in at the agency's South Waterfront office on Thursday morning, and he says he is preparing for the possibility that he could be detained. His pastor, the Rev. Mark Knutson of Augustana Lutheran Church, plans to join him for the appointment.
ICE Check-In Looms at South Waterfront Office
ICE has directed Aguirre to come to its South Waterfront field office and sign an agreement he says was already settled in 2016. "I think right now I'm really worried that I can be detained," Aguirre told KPTV. The station also reports that ICE previously conducted a check-in with Aguirre in 2016 and that his asylum claim remains pending.
Aguirre's Deep Roots in Portland's Sanctuary Movement
Francisco Aguirre, founder of the VIVA Inclusive Migrant Network and a veteran organizer, came to the United States at 15, was deported after an arrest, and later returned to Portland in 2014, when he claimed sanctuary at Augustana Lutheran Church. Augustana and VIVA recount that sanctuary episode and describe his years of community organizing, radio work, and know-your-rights trainings in Oregon.
South Waterfront ICE Office Under Longtime Scrutiny
The South Waterfront field office has been a flashpoint for protest and city scrutiny. Portland.gov notes that ICE has operated a processing center there since 2011 and details a city finding that detainees were held beyond the facility's 12-hour limit, while the Portland Business Journal reported that the city upheld a land-use violation tied to the building.
Pastor and Supporters Plan to Walk In With Him
Rev. Mark Knutson of Augustana, who helped shelter Aguirre during the 2014 sanctuary period, says he will accompany Aguirre to Thursday's check-in and is praying for a swift resolution. "Tomorrow we'll get there and we'll pray with people who are scared to death," Knutson told KPTV. Supporters say Aguirre's daughters are U.S. citizens and that Portland is their home, which organizers argue makes any potential detention especially disruptive for his family.
What Happens Next
Aguirre's asylum application is still unresolved, and immigration advocates caution that routine check-ins can sometimes end in detention, depending on an agent's decision or new paperwork. Historical reporting and community accounts, including coverage in Christian Century and the Portland Mercury, recount the 2014 sanctuary standoff and subsequent federal pursuit, which organizers say is why clergy and activists are treating Thursday's check-in as a pivotal moment.
Augustana and VIVA say they have contingency plans ready for legal and community support if agents detain Aguirre, and they intend to maintain a visible presence at the South Waterfront office to witness what unfolds. Organizers say they will update the community through their networks once the appointment is over.
