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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2017)
OPINION 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 Founded in 1873 HEIDI WRIGHT, Interim Publisher JIM VAN NOSTRAND, Editor JEREMY FELDMAN, Circulation Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager OUR VIEW ICE goes too far in carrying out Trump’s immigration policies T here is growing discomfort about recurring news of immi- gration arrests in sensitive places and circumstances in the Pacific Northwest. We expect agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI to actively seek out and interdict threats to internal security. Competent national law enforcement meets with widespread approval, providing some peace of mind in a world where America’s interests are under attack by radical ideologues. The ICE mission statement includes, “To identify, arrest, and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the United States illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts. Enforcement and Removal Operations upholds America’s immigration laws at, within and beyond our borders through efficient enforcement and removal operations.” In and of itself, this doesn’t raise many red flags. There are, however, limits to our confidence and support. At one end of the scale, deadly attacks like those in New York City this week and in Las Vegas on Oct. 1 demonstrate ineffectiveness at stopping determined “lone wolf” assailants. And on the other side of the scale, mass arrests and detentions of inoffensive working immigrants raise questions about how much our democracy is will- ing to tolerate. In an Tuesday story, Willamette Week reported three “controver- sial arrests in the Portland area raised fears that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are breaking federal laws and their own rules.” The most recent of these incidents involved arrest of an undoc- umented immigrant at a bus stop just outside after he left Legacy Emanuel Health Center in north Portland. ICE agents are sup- posed to be barred by agency policies from making arrests in “sen- sitive locations” including hospitals, schools and churches. A vari- ety of motivations guide this policy — including a public health and humanitarian interest in allowing sick people to obtain medical care. From ICE’s perspective, slapping handcuffs on someone in or near a sensitive location results in bad political optics and negative publicity. The three known questionable arrests in Oregon lead to concerns about how many have gone unreported. “(For) any of these actions that we’ve recorded or have reported on, there are likely dozens or more happening here in Oregon and around the nation every month that we just never hear about,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon told Willamette Week. “If ICE can’t admit that their agents may be violating policy, I have no hope that we might see a decrease in these kinds of illegal arrests.” Immigration agents in plainclothes are reported to be approach- ing individuals in or near courthouses, taking them into custody without identifying themselves as ICE. This is chilling. In our immediate area around the mouth of the Columbia River, there haven’t been obvious violations of ICE policy. But there have been violations of common sense — cowboy-like behaviors that undermine public confidence and roil the local immigrant commu- nity. On the Long Beach Peninsula, a series of small towns, agents arrested 38 immigrants as of Tuesday. In these villages where everybody knows everybody, in a sense everything is a “sensitive location.” Fathers and mothers are swept away to detention cen- ters with only the clothes on their backs, leaving spouses and chil- dren — who often are lawful U.S. citizens — confused and facing destitution. Detainees aren’t angels. Clearly, all have violated immigration laws. Some have arrest records or have come back across the bor- der after an earlier deportation. The worst cases belong to gangs or have committed serious crimes. But in the U.S., we expect all people to receive legal due pro- cess and to face proportional penalties. Absolutely, imprison and deport serious criminals. But is the wholesale destruction of fam- ilies an appropriate consequence for someone who came across the border without filling out the right paperwork? More and more Americans are asking this question as ICE goes too far in carrying out President Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations. LETTERS WELCOME Letters should be exclusive to The Daily Astorian. Letters should be fewer than 350 words and must include the writer’s name, address and phone numbers. You will be contacted to confirm authorship. All letters are subject to edit- ing for space, grammar and, on occasion, factual accuracy. Only two letters per writer are printed each month. Letters written in response to other letter writers should address the issue at hand and, rather than mentioning the writer by name, should refer to the headline and date the letter was published. Discourse should be civil and people should be referred to in a respectful manner. Submissions may be sent in any of these ways: E-mail to editor@dailyasto- rian.com; online at www.dailyas- torian.com; delivered to the Asto- rian offices at 949 Exchange St. and 1555 N. Roosevelt in Seaside or by mail to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Saluting Thompson ommunity Action Team would like to salute Lianne Thomp- son, one of its board members from Clatsop County. Originally based in Columbia County, Community Action Team was asked to add Clat- sop County to its service territory in the 1980s. We quickly helped com- munity members form Clatsop Com- munity Action which delivers the lion’s share of our services, outside of Head Start. Thompson represents the private sector of her communities, and keeps our board focused on the particular needs of Clatsop County. This kind of community “grounding” has been at the heart of Community Action since we were formed during the War on Poverty in 1966. We are truly grateful for the local wisdom and guidance we received from our Clat- sop County board members. DAN BROWN Executive director, Community Action Team St. Helens stand the challenges that we face. She attended programs that have pre- pared her for catastrophic events that could occur on the North Coast. I believe that she has even become a ham radio operator. She understands the need for jobs, affordable housing and sustainable forestry. I meet Lianne Thompson when the Backpack Program was started in Cannon Beach. She donated her time to help our kids. She would bring her dog, who suffered from separa- tion anxiety, and would check on him throughout the hours we spent pack- ing food for the children. She is a loving and caring person. Her background, education and her caring personality make her a dedicated and committed commis- sioner. The people elected Lianne Thompson, and we are proud of the job that she is doing. She is up for re-election in 2018; let the people of this district decide if she stays or if she goes, not Scott Lee. PAMELA CHATER Cannon Beach Out of line Thompson’s at the table do not believe it is up to the Clat- sop County commissioners to call for resignations of other commission- ers (“Lee calls for Thompson’s res- ignation,” The Daily Astorian, Oct. 26). Lianne Thompson was elected to her seat by her district. Only the district can act on her term of service. Those of us who live in the South County area can recall or affirm our commissioner. Three of the five commission- ers may not approve of Thompson’s work, but they cannot call for her res- ignation — it is not in their power. It seems to me that past South County commissioners have experienced this, as well. As to the expenses — from what I have observed, her travel and confer- ences have been for the needs of the county for employment and afford- able housing. Her work in these areas should be applauded. She is look- ing to a brighter future for the small towns and rural areas she serves by gathering information and resources for all of us in Clatsop County. REV. ANN FONTAINE Cannon Beach I C I Let us decide I was surprised to see an article in The Daily Astorian where Scott Lee, a Clatsop County commissioner, was calling for the resignation of Lianne Thompson as county com- missioner for District 5 (“Lee calls for Thompson’s resignation,” Oct. 26). He said that her expenses were too high, and that she was too expres- sive in her interactions with others. Thompson was elected by the people as our county commissioner, not appointed by Scott Lee. I have been a resident of Cannon Beach for many years. During that time I have seen Commissioner Ann Sam- uelson recalled, resulting in a par- tial terms of office. Her successor, appointed by the Board of Commis- sioners, served a partial term only to be defeated by Debra Birkby, who resigned after three years in office. The county Board of Commis- sioners appointed Matt Samuelson to complete her term, but because he had not filed to run, the seat was left open. Lianne Thompson ran for the position in 2014, and won that election. District 5 covers a large area, and Commissioner Thompson trav- els throughout her district and listens to our concerns. Liquefied natural gas jumps to mind. I have been con- tacted by Thompson on several occa- sions, and asked for input on various topics. No other commissioner has done that. I feel that she truly represents us. She has attended several conferences to hone her skills and to better under- live in Newport, am serving my fourth term as a Lincoln County commissioner, and will soon con- clude a 12-month term as presi- dent of the Association of Oregon Counties. I’m sorry to learn that Clat- sop County Commissioner Lianne Thompson has come under attack for her participation in AOC activities in Salem (“Lee calls for Thompson’s resignation,” The Daily Astorian, Oct. 26). I can’t think of a better way to serve the public who elected her. Many of our colleagues around the state have a saying: “If you’re not on the table, you’re probably on the menu.” The decisions made in Salem affect the funding and policies on all kinds of essential services — from roads to elections to property taxa- tion and critical public health pro- grams. Clatsop County has good leg- islators in Salem, but it needs other voices to help make sure its interests are heard in every office, and every committee, in the Legislature. Commissioner Thompson has been an advocate on many import- ant coastal issues, including sustain- able forestry, affordable housing and disaster preparedness. Counties can secure the best results for their people when they work together and speak with a united voice. I hope Commissioner Thompson will continue to lift that voice for the people of the North Coast. BILL HALL Newport Thompson is dedicated am a recently retired Tillamook County commissioner, where I served for 12 years before retiring. I feel compelled to write this letter as I have been made aware of some personal attacks on a fellow county commissioner, Lianne Thompson. I have known Lianne since she became a Clatsop County commis- sioner, and have worked with her on local, state and national issues. It is refreshing to see a part-time com- missioner so engaged. As you may know, commissioners in Clatsop County are part time where most of the rest of the commissioners on the west side of Oregon, like Tillamook County, are full time. I find her quite committed, trans- parent, positive, encouraging and realistically optimistic. I was glad to see her engaged at the state level this last legislative session on import- ant issues to Clatsop County and the Oregon Coast. I was glad to see her involved at the Association of Ore- gon Counties level on issues import- ant to all counties in Oregon. Clat- sop County finally had a voice at the table. I Folks, you have a dedicated, hard-working person who serves you well. Thought you would like to know that from someone from the outside who sees her good work for you, the citizens of Clatsop County. MARK LABHART Sisters Thompson speaks up ’m writing to reconfirm my com- mitment to serving as the elected representative of District 5 on the board of the Clatsop County commissioners. No one said it would be easy to serve. No one promised that a closed system would be open to change, that entrenched powers would not push back, or that personal attacks would never supplant honest debate. Certainly, I never expected such a political panacea. To see it play out in real life, however, can either be disheartening or motivating. I choose motivation. My motivation is to serve the great people of Clatsop County, especially those in my home District 5. I have little interest or patience with those few people who would find validation in power, or who like to see themselves as big fish in small ponds. I do not understand those who would pass on the opportunity to use the board’s authority to make pol- icy that improves lives. The people I serve are those who struggle in our county, who have real needs, aspira- tions and ideas, and who desperately need a politician to hear them and a voice to speak for them. These are the people who motivate me. You may have seen the chair- man’s opinion that I should resign (“Lee calls for Thompson’s resig- nation,” The Daily Astorian, Oct. 26). You may have read his letter accusing me of hateful things that an unnecessary, expensive investiga- tion by a Portland attorney could not confirm. I will address those issues publicly, and in detail, at the next board meeting. For now, it is enough to pause and remind ourselves that the board chairman has publicly announced he is not going to serve beyond the end of his term (December 2018), and that the county manager has announced that he will resign. So, the more important issue at hand is this: The timing is right, or will soon be right, for the board to commit itself to diversity of opinion, and for county officials to commit themselves to opening a relatively closed governance process to the fresh air and sunlight of new ideas. Diversity in our government and on our board is a healthy thing. It is worthwhile, if not imperative, that we work together to express differ- ent points of view and that we dis- cuss all paths to common goals. For instance, at the most basic level, the board of the county commissioners is the governing body for Clatsop County. Our county charter says so. I believe that the governing body should define its mission, form a plan, articulate goals that are spe- cific, measurable, achievable, real- istic and time-limited (SMART). I believe we should plan, monitor finances and outcomes, and evalu- ate our success. That’s our job as the governing body. We have an oppor- tunity to implement those changes. Since my election in January 2015, I have worked hard for District 5, for Clatsop County, for our region and for our state. It’s an honor to fur- ther efforts to provide affordable housing, sustainable and best use of forest products, and protect the safety and well-being of the people. My heart is in this place. My commitment and my voice will remain strong. LIANNE THOMPSON Clatsop County commissioner Arch Cape I