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East Oregonian
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Sessions: Sanctuary cities undermine law’s moral authority
By STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press
PORTLAND — U.S. Attorney
General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday crit-
icized sanctuary cities that try to protect
immigrants in the country illegally
as places that “undermine the moral
authority of the law.”
He made the comments a day after
the Trump administration appealed a
judge’s ruling blocking its efforts to
withhold money from the cities.
Sessions, speaking to law enforce-
ment officers in a sanctuary city in
the sanctuary state of Oregon, urged
officials who have decided that local
police should not cooperate with federal
immigration agents to reconsider those
policies.
As he spoke, protesters lined the
streets outside the Portland field office
of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services. Their chants could faintly be
heard inside the room where Sessions
appeared.
Sessions said the federal grant
money that U.S. cities receive are not
an entitlement, and cannot be given to
sanctuary cities that he said frustrate
efforts to reduce crime.
“Rather than reconsider their poli-
cies, these sanctuary jurisdictions feign
outrage when they lose federal funds
as a direct result of actions designed to
nullify plain federal law,” Sessions said.
A Chicago judge last Friday at least
temporarily blocked the administra-
tion’s attempt to withhold one particular
public safety grant from cities that don’t
cooperate.
On Monday, U.S. government
lawyers appealed a judge’s ruling in
lawsuits by San Francisco and another
California county challenging President
Donald Trump’s broader executive
order threatening to cut off funding to
sanctuary cities.
U.S. District Judge William Orrick
rejected the administration’s argument
that the executive order applies only to
a relatively small pot of money and said
Trump cannot set new conditions on
Governor Brown doesn’t
get meeting with Sessions
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP
A group protests U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Tuesday as he arrives
in Portland to discuss sanctuary city policies with city and regional law
enforcement officials.
spending approved by Congress
The Chicago lawsuit blocked
late last week was in response to the
administration’s decision to attach
immigration restrictions to the Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance
Grant Program.
Sessions told the law enforcement
officers in Portland that city officials
in “these sanctuary jurisdictions feign
outrage when they lose federal funds
as a direct result of actions designed to
nullify plain federal law.”
And he accused Portland and other
cities of suing the administration “so
that they can keep receiving taxpay-
er-funded grants while continuing to
impede federal immigration enforce-
ment.”
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who
did not attend the speech, wrote a
letter to the Sessions saying that the
city celebrates diversity and that “our
local laws support these values and we
are better for it.”
“It is for these reasons that I strongly
oppose the Trump administration’s
efforts to coerce local law enforcement
agencies to enforce federal immigration
laws,” wrote Wheeler, a Democrat.
Sessions highlighted the case of
Sergio Martinez, a man accused of
assaulting two women in July after his
release from a Portland jail. Martinez
has a lengthy arrest record, and has been
deported more than a dozen times.
U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement said it asked the Mult-
nomah County Sheriff’s Office to
prevent Martinez’ release so the agency
could take him into custody.
But Sheriff Mike Reese said last
month that the case would have ended
differently if the federal agency had sent
a criminal detention warrant signed by
a judge.
“Instead,” he said, “they processed a
civil detainer, which they know cannot
be legally used in Oregon.”
Oregon three decades ago became
America’s first sanctuary state with a
law that prohibits law enforcement from
detaining people who are in the U.S.
illegally but have not broken other laws.
SALEM — U.S. Attorney
General Jeff Sessions didn’t
meet with Gov. Kate Brown
while in Portland Tuesday,
despite her request for an
audience with him.
In a speech at a U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration
Services
office
in
Northwest
Portland, Sessions
castigated
sanctuary cities
as promoters of
“lawlessness.”
Meanwhile,
Brown
spoke
with reporters in
her office at the Brown
Oregon Capitol.
The governor
said she requested a meeting
with Sessions but received
no response from his office.
She said she would have
appealed to preserve the
Deferred Action for Child-
hood Arrivals (DACA).
The
program
allows
undocumented young adults
brought to the United States
as children to legally work
and attend school in this
country.
“He clearly did not have
time to meet with me and
hear my strong views about
how I feel about making
sure that Dreamers are able
to go to school, to work and
to lead lives in this state,”
Brown said.
Sessions’ office did not
immediately return a phone
call from the Pamplin
Media/EO Media Capital
Bureau seeking comment
on why he decided against
meeting the governor.
In his speech, he said the
nearly 500 sanctuary cities
across the nation “hinder
the work of federal law
enforcement” and “promote
lawlessness.”
“That makes a sanctuary
city a trafficker,
smuggler, or gang
member’s
best
friend,” Sessions
said.
Brown said she
is “appalled by
the position of the
attorney general.”
“I want to
make it very
clear that Oregon
is a state that
welcomes and wants to
encourage our immigrant
and refugee communities,”
the governor said. “We see
them as a very important
part of Oregon’s cultural and
economic fabric, and they’re
part of what makes Oregon
unique.”
A 1987 law effectively
made Oregon a sanctuary
state. Brown reinforced that
law with an executive order
in February barring the use
of any state resources to
enforce federal immigration
policy.
Sessions
announced
Sept. 5 that the Trump
administration would phase
out DACA in the next six
months, unless Congress
chose to enact the program
legislatively.
DRIVING: Washington has also banned all use of cell phones while driving, increased penalties
Continued from 1A
Team up to keep eyes on the road
more loved ones devastated
by the news of their death.
“One of the worst parts
of my job is knocking on
someone’s door and giving
them the worst news of their
life,” Berland said.
Most people wouldn’t
drive down Interstate 84
with their eyes closed just
because their friend dared
them to, but if they answer
a text from that same friend
while driving, it creates a
similar effect. According
to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, a person
takes their eyes off the
road for an average of 4.5
seconds while reading a text.
At 55 miles per hour, that’s
the equivalent of driving
the length of a football field
blindfolded. If the road
curves unexpectedly, a car
in front hits the brakes or a
deer runs onto the road, that
“blindfold” can be disas-
trous.
“Nobody intends on
To encourage people to think more carefully about
their driving habits, Oregon State Police, in partnership
with AAA, Oregon Department of Transportation and
other sponsors, have come up with a new campaign
called Drive Healthy.
Participants can register on the website drivehealthy.
org in teams of at least five people and download the
LifeSaver app that tracks whether they are using their
phone while driving. Points are detracted from teams
every time one of their members unlocks a cell phone
while driving their car. The top-scoring teams will be
displayed on the website’s monthly leaderboard and
will be entered into drawings for Amazon gift cards and
other prizes. Sponsors hope the public competition will
encourage companies, church congregations, families and
other groups to form a team that will provide motivation
to leave the phone alone while driving.
Many smartphones also have built-in features or
apps that users can enable that provide services such as
automatic replies to texts and calls stating that phone’s
owner is driving and can’t respond.
crashing,” Berland said.
“Nobody intends on taking
that call and then running
a red light or rear-ending
someone or running over a
child.”
It happens, though. Last
year Hermiston Police Chief
Jason Edmiston got a visit
from one of his sergeants,
informing him that his
great-niece Alexxyss Ther-
whanger had been killed in
a car crash outside of Pilot
Rock. She had been using
her phone throughout the
trip. Edmiston then had to
inform his sister and her
husband, who helped raise
Alexxyss, of her death.
Edmiston has seen other
distracted driving deaths
in Hermiston. In 2011
Jonathan Newkirk died in a
head-on crash after crossing
the center line in front
of Hermiston’s Recycled
Water Treatment Plant on
North First Place. His cell
phone indicated he had
been placing a call when he
crashed.
Previously,
using
a
phone while driving was
a Class C violation, with a
presumptive fine of $160.
Presumptive fines are the
standard amount charged for
a certain violation, while the
court can choose to impose a
higher amount. All fines are
automatically doubled in a
school zone or construction
zone.
Under the law that takes
effect in a couple of weeks,
CPR: Has also saved a man who collapsed playing basketball
Continued from 1A
Pearce started coughing up
blood. Brown worked to clear his
airways.
Pearce was taken by ambulance
from the bowling alley and Brown
said he received a phone call later
that night that he was awake and
coherent. On Tuesday Pearce was
in critical condition at Kadlec
Medical Center, Richland.
Brown makes his living doing
private security, though he said he
is currently not working while he
waits to have knee surgery. Brown
said he gained some medical
knowledge through classes he took
in high school and in the military.
Brown said he has been in a
similar situation in Pendleton,
when he and another man
performed CPR on a man who
collapsed playing basketball. In
that situation, they also used a
defibrillator, and were able to get
the man’s heart started again.
Brown said he was fairly calm
during the whole event.
“You can’t panic at that stuff,”
he said. “I just kind of zeroed in on
him.”
Several people stopped by
Brown’s lane on Tuesday night,
where he was back for another
game, to congratulate him and
thank him for his actions the night
before.
The incident highlights the
importance of having non-emer-
gency personnel train in CPR and
first aid.
The Umatilla County Fire
District, Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College, Good Shepherd
Medical Center and St. Anthony
Hospital all offer CPR training to
the public.
Matt Fisher, a shift lieutenant
with the UCFD, praised Brown’s
ability to act in a crisis.
“That man collapsed with a
cardiac arrest, and this morning,
was flown out to Kadlec and is
still alive,” he said. “Their CPR
undoubtedly made a difference in
his outcome.”
Juli Gregory, of Good Shep-
herd’s education department, said
the hospital routinely offers five
different classes a month, including
CPR, first aid, and a combination
class that teaches both.
Gregory said the classes tend
to be well-attended, whether by
individuals or by businesses that
require their employees to get
trained.
The CPR class at Good Shep-
herd is $45, the first aid class is
$50, and the combination class is
$90. Those interested can sign up
at the hospital website, gshealth.
org.
–——
Contact Jayati Ramakrishnan at
541-564-4534 or jramakrishnan@
eastoregonian.com
PENDLETON: REACH had $7,000 available to spend
Continued from 1A
Jackson said he was personally
uncomfortable with a lease any
shorter than six months.
The council was also unrecep-
tive to REACH’s request for the
city to pay for the first six months
of the building’s utilities and
inquired into the organization’s
current operational state.
Jackson said REACH had
$7,000 available to spend and
intended to spend 1-2 days a
week at the facility from 3 p.m.
to 8 p.m., expanding operations
further once it became more
sustainable.
Councilor John Brenne was
skeptical.
“I have several concerns here,”
he said. “I’m also concerned
they have no trained counselors.
They have no staff. They have no
budget.”
After a lengthy debate, Coun-
cilor Scott Fairley made a motion
to lease the building for a one
year with the one-year extension
option, but it was defeated. A
second motion made by Brenne
for a six month lease with a six
month extension option didn’t
receive even receive a second.
A third motion made by
Primmer, which included the
city option to terminate, was ulti-
mately passed 7-1, with Brenne
voting against.
The council also turned down
a motion to expand an administra-
tive rule that would have banned
tobacco use in all city parks,
but unlike the REACH lease, no
further action was taken.
a first-time offender who
did not cause a crash would
face a Class B violation,
with a presumptive fine of
$260 but a maximum fine
of $1,000. Those first-time
offenders could have their
fine suspended if they
complete a course of safety
classes within four months,
but the violation will stay on
their record.
Second-time offenders
face a Class A traffic viola-
tion, on par with driving
more than 30 miles per
hour over the speed limit
and carrying a presumptive
fine of $435 but a maximum
of $2,000. Any additional
violations become a Class
B misdemeanor, resulting
in a criminal record for
the perpetrator and up to a
$2,500 fine and 6 months in
jail.
There are a few exemp-
tions to the rules. A person
can call 9-1-1 while driving
during a emergency if
there is no one else in the
vehicle who can make the
call. Drivers can also use a
single touch to activate a
hands-free device. School
bus drivers, commercial
truck drivers, emergency
responders
and
utility
workers can use a two-way
handheld radio in the scope
of their employment.
Umatilla County drivers
crossing border into the
Tri-Cities or Walla Walla
also need to be aware of
new distracted driving laws
in Washington. Washington
has also banned all use of
cell phones while driving
and increased penalties,
but also added habits such
as eating or putting on
make-up. Those non-phone
distractions are a secondary
offense, meaning an officer
can’t pull someone over
solely for eating in their
car, but they can add it to a
ticket for speeding or other
violations.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
TURKEYS: Property owners must get
permit from ODFW to kill any birds
Continued from 1A
the benefits they get from being in
town — namely food and places to
roost at night.
“And right now, there is no hazing
and the food is great,” he said.
Scaring off the birds from one
place won’t matter much, he added, if
the house two doors down is feeding
them.
“So what my thinking on it is, we
need to lethally remove the turkeys,”
Rimbach said.
That recommendation created
a moment of silence, and city staff
double-checked to make sure he said
“lethally.”
He had.
“I know it doesn’t sound nice,” he
said. “But lethally removing turkeys
is the way to go.”
Turkeys are smart, Rimbach
continued, and killing a few might be
enough for the rest to catch a clue and
move on.
That action would require prop-
erty owners to secure a permit from
ODFW. Rimbach also said one or two
permitted city employees could take
on the task. They also would have to
clean the birds and provide the meat
to organizations, such as a church, to
distribute to people in need.
Rimbach said some methods of
killing are “more socially acceptable”
than others. ODFW, for example,
would not be OK with someone
going after the birds with a baseball
bat. He suggested a .22-caliber gun
would be best, but shooting in town
would be too risky.
Bill Caldera, the city police chief,
agreed that shooting into trees to kill
turkeys would not be safe.
Rimbach noted that trapping
would not work in the city because
the department uses rocket nets or
cannon nets. If one went astray, he
said, that’s a 10-pound bullet flying
around.
Six Pilot Rock residents attended
the meeting. Pam and Don Fisher
said the turkey population on their
property has grown from about 20
birds three years ago to 66. Pam
Fisher described mounds of turkey
scat two and three feet tall where
the birds gather. Others in the small
audience said they were fed up with
the fowls fouling their railings and
decks.
One woman asked about
poisoning the birds, and another
person asked about relocating them.
Rimbach cautioned against
poison. He said there are poisons for
specific breeds of birds, but he did
not know if there was one just for
turkeys. Before the state can issue a
kill permit, he said, the city needs to
prohibit feeding turkeys. That local
law provides the legal backbone for
the lethal action. He provided the
council with ODFW guidelines for
dealing with turkeys and examples
of ordinances from some Oregon
cities. Porter said she would pass that
information to the council to discuss
at the next meeting.
Until then, Rimbach said, there
was nothing stopping the city or
property owners from obtaining a
permit to haze the turkeys.
“We give them out like Tic Tacs,”
he said.