OPINION
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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.
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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
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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
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