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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2018)
4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018 Letter: Trump administration has sought to penalize sanctuary states Continued from Page 1A want victims to come forward and feel like they’re reasonably protected.” People who oppose the measure, including a host of business, religious, labor, law enforcement and Hispanic groups, have said a repeal of the state sanctuary law could lead to racial profiling. Ber- gin called the assertions “insulting.” “I can honestly say that I have never witnessed an instance of racial profiling from any of my deputies,” Ber- gin wrote. “They serve and protect all who need assistance regardless or race, origin or creed.” McKee said Bergin’s com- ments dismiss experiences described by people of color. BUY ANY 5 “It only takes a quick inter- net search to find cases of ICE deporting noncitizens who called the police for help. If Measure 105 passes, people of color will, once again, bear the brunt of the fallout,” McKee said. “This letter signed by the 16 sheriffs is nothing short of open hostility towards commu- nities of color, immigrants and noncitizens.” Astoria Police Chief Geoff Spalding said a repeal likely would not have much of an impact on the police depart- ment’s daily operations. “We will continue to be not proactive in seeking immigra- tion violators,” Spalding said. “That would be a fairly sub- stantial policy shift, and I don’t see that happening.” Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin, shown here in front of the old Clatsop County Jail, has taken a leading role in a measure that would repeal Oregon’s sanctuary law. participating items and receive a code to enter for a *NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win. Open to legal U.S. residents, residing in Oregon or SW Washington, 18 years and older (must be 21+ to purchase alcohol). 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Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death. The case “has refocused attention on the violence and heartbreak illegal immigrant criminals can visit on Ameri- cans and their families,” Ber- gin wrote. Several of Tibbetts’ rela- tives and friends have pushed back against politicians who have used her death in argu- ments for tougher immigra- tion laws. Her father, Rob Tibbetts, in his eulogy at her funeral, specifically criticized the vitriol against the Hispanic community. “We are deeply troubled that elected officials continue to perpetuate the myth of the criminal immigrant,” said Erin McKee, co-director of the Immigrants Rights Project at the Oregon Justice Resource Center, in a statement. “Studies have shown, repeatedly, that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens. Sheriff Bergin’s statement not only ignores facts and sta- tistics, but it also relies on tired, fear-mongering rhetoric that misleads the public on how the law works.” The measure in Oregon comes at a time when Presi- dent Donald Trump is press- ing immigration reform as a national priority. The Trump administration has sought to penalize sanctuary states and cities, condemning the lack of cooperation on immigration enforcement as a threat to pub- lic safety. Supporters point to the focus on immigration as a sign that the measure has legs. The sheriffs who signed the letter in favor of repeal- ing the sanctuary law represent counties that backed Trump in the 2016 presidential elec- tion, except for Bergin. Clat- sop County favored former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who won in Oregon based on her strength in Port- land and other large metropoli- tan regions. “Certainly, immigration law violations are federal offenses. But they are precursors to other crimes illegal immigrants rou- tinely commit in their efforts to conceal their illegal presence — crimes like identity theft — that harm everyday Orego- nians at the local level. Such crimes are well within local police and sheriffs’ purview,” Bergin wrote. One outcome of a repeal for sheriffs would be its poten- tial to repair relationships with U.S. Immigration and Cus- toms Enforcement. The fed- eral agency has repeatedly criticized counties in the state — including Clatsop — for releasing undocumented immi- grants from jail after they are arrested for crimes unrelated to their immigration status. In response, Bergin has said that while he would like to detain inmates on ICE holds, he is concerned about potential civil rights lawsuits. He hopes a sanctuary law repeal would create a more fluid relationship between his office and ICE. “This is an additional strain on the system which should not be happening in the first place,” Bergin wrote. “To have the ability to work with our federal partners would allevi- ate the inconsistency and stop the erosion and ineffectiveness of these sanctuary laws.” While not expressing sup- port or opposition to the mea- sure, a number of law enforce- ment officials in the county have wondered if witnesses or victims would be less will- ing to report crimes without the sanctuary law. Bergin called arguments about victim or witness coop- eration “nonsense,” since offi- cers would not risk jeopardiz- ing criminal cases. “When people step forward to volunteer information about criminal activity, law enforce- ment officers are not going to ‘look a gift horse in the mouth’ by inquiring into their immi- gration status,” Bergin wrote. The Clatsop County Dis- trict Attorney’s Office used to allow undocumented immi- grants to sign forms — called “U visas” — that temporar- ily set aside their immigration status during an ongoing case. Since Trump took office, pros- ecutors have not been issuing the forms out of concern that the federal government won’t honor the agreements, District Attorney Josh Marquis said. “Some who are victims may be worried to come for- ward,” Marquis said. “We PROTOTYPE SHOWN WITH OPTIONS. THANK YOU SPONSORS: clip or CLICK! 10 ® $ Valid 8/28/18 thru 9/4/18 OFF $ 50 or more * Save on your next grocery purchase of $50 or more* with your Club Card & this Savings Award. *Use this Savings Award on any shopping trip you choose at any Oregon Safeway or Albertsons store and S.W. Washington stores serving Clark, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Skamania, Walla Walla and Klickitat counties by 9/4/18. 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