ACLU files DHS complaint over Hillsboro tire stabbings

An anonymous couple in the Beaverton area now possesses dashcam footage that documents a tense morning interaction with federal immigration officers. The video, recorded on Oct. 7, shows an agent from the Department of Homeland Security damaging their vehicle after a brief pursuit that began in a grocery store parking lot in Hillsboro.

The ACLU of Oregon submitted the video alongside a formal complaint against the Department of Homeland Security. The legal group argues the footage proves an agent stabbed the tires of the couple's Tesla. Kelly Simon, the legal director for the ACLU of Oregon, stated that the clients were attempting to leave the area when the incident escalated.

According to the filing, the sequence of events started before 7 a.m. The couple observed a vehicle they believed to be an ICE unit in their neighborhood. They maintained a distance while following it into the Safeway parking lot at Tanasbourne Village. In the lot, the couple witnessed masked officers wearing vests marked with the letters ICE interacting with two other vehicles. The officers blew whistles and shouted to alert shoppers to their presence.

The couple recorded the scene from inside their car. When the federal agents noticed the recording, they began to engage the drivers. Simon explained that the couple tried to disengage from the officers. The video captures an agent running after the departing vehicle while pushing a shopping cart. The filing notes that the drivers never received specific instructions but felt compelled to leave due to fear.

As the couple exited the parking lot, the video shows them being followed. On Stucki Avenue, emergency lights activated, and another vehicle boxed in their car. The footage clearly shows an agent seen from behind repeatedly stabbing the Tesla's tire until it popped. After the tire was damaged, the agents departed the scene. The couple pulled over and placed a call to 911.

Simon described the encounter as a chilling experience for the residents. She noted that many people fear the events depicted in the video could happen to them, particularly when a masked federal officer approaches physically. The Hillsboro Police Department confirmed they received a report regarding the incident. Officers stated they attempted to contact ICE to establish the facts but were unable to reach the agency.