OPINION
A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM
SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2015
EDITORIAL • COMMENTARY • LETTERS
HermistonHerald
VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 31
-(66,&$.(//(5
EDITOR
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newsprint
Fixing immigration
“
A federal appeals court
on Tuesday denied the
Obama administration’s
request to lift a hold on
the president’s executive
actions on immigration,
which would have granted
protection from deportation
as well as work permits
to millions of immigrants
in the country illegally.”
(“Federal Panel Lets
Injunction Against Obama’s
Immigration Actions
Stand,” New York Times,
27 May 12)
Ouch. It hurts when your
own court system won’t
support you.
The immigration issue
has been a problem for
$PHULFDQVVLQFHWKH¿UVW
Patuxet said, “What the
heck were we thinking?”
There is, however, a way
to cut the Gordian Knot
irony of immigrants and
descendants of immigrants
denying entry to other
immigrants. It simply
involves taking everybody
at his word.
Realize that every person
on this continent is either
an immigrant, or descended
from immigrants. Whether
they got here by leather-
shelled coracle, steamship
or jet airliner (or Asian
land bridge, depending on
what you believe about
the ice ages), we — or
our ancestors — all came
from Somewhere Else.
Presumably all or mostly
all left for a better life,
because who in his right
mind leaves home for the
unknown if he doesn’t
believe the new place will
be better? Which is why we
have people immigrating
illegally today — they want
a better life, just like my
ancestors.
So let’s accept that
that’s what they want.
What, then, is wrong with
setting up something like
the bracero program of
the last century? Someone
wanting to work in the U.S.
goes to his nearest U.S.
consulate, demonstrates a
clean criminal and medical
history, posts a return bond
— requirements far less
costly than paying a coyote
— and is given something
we’ll call a Q visa. Upon
arrival, he’s given a Tax ID
Number, and off he goes
into the labor pool as a
regular employee.
+HUH¶VWKH¿UVWFDWFK²
a Q visa would be nothing
more or less than a work
permit. It conveys no rights
to eventual citizenship and
no rights to social safety
net programs. Those would
7+20$6&5($6,1*
OFF THE BENCH
Herald columnist
be reserved for citizens
and those on a citizenship
track. After all, the Q visa
applicant supposedly is
just looking for a job,
right? Normal protections
as enshrined in the Bill of
Rights would be preserved,
of course, as would access
to emergency services and
the justice system. The
second catch would be that
children of Q visa holders
would also be ineligible
for citizenship unless or
until they completed a
formal application process
through the home country
of the Q visa holder. Most
nations have waiting lists
of people wanting to enter
America for more than just
employment purposes, and
there’s no reason why Q
visa children should leap
to the head of that line. The
children would be eligible
to apply for Q visa status of
their own, should they so
desire, but while holding Q
visa status they could not
apply for citizenship.
What’s not to like?
Conservatives can stop
complaining about
nefarious schemes to get
those who’ve immigrated
illegally into the voter
ranks. Liberals can stop
complaining about the
criminal implications for
people who are just here
to work. Free marketeers
can take comfort in
the free movement of
peoples and employment
thereof, and taxpayers
VKRXOGEHVDWLV¿HGWKDW
the new Q visa workers
can never become a
“burden on society.” I
foresee disgruntlement
among those who DO
have nefarious schemes
to increase their own
voter base, and those who
would prefer to keep labor
expensive will also not be
terribly happy.
But you can’t cut a
Gordian Knot without some
pain, after all.
That’s just the “knotty”
opinion of an opinionated
guy. Share your opinions
in response! Letters to
the editor or by email
to hermistonherald
offthebench@gmail.com.
Names of the terminally
shy will be withheld on
request.
— Thomas Creasing is
a Herald columnist and the
Hermiston Municipal Court
judge
OP-ED: Eastern Oregon needs
representation on ODFW Commission
BY SEN. BILL HANSELL
FOR THE HERMISTON
HERALD
O
ne of the duties
of the Oregon
Senate is to
FRQ¿UPRUQRWFRQ¿UP
the governor appointees
to the many state boards
and commissions. The
Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Commission is one of
those commissions, and
I believe one of the most
important citizen boards
we have in all of state
government.
Bobby Levy of
Echo has served with
distinction on the ODFW
Commission for the past
eight years including
time as the chair. But
she was term limited and
unable to be reappointed.
Her position along
with three others on the
commission were recently
up for consideration and
FRQ¿UPDWLRQ%HFDXVH
ODFW plays a critical
UROHLQ¿VKDQGZLOGOLIH
management, there was
a tremendous amount
of interest
in who the
governor
would
nominate,
and if the
Senate would
Hansell
FRQ¿UP
Four positions were
up for consideration
— two new and two
reappointments for a
second four-year term.
Gov. Kate Brown
appointed former state
Sen. Jason Atkinson to
replace Mrs. Levy, and
%UXFH%XFNPDVWHUWR¿OO
an empty position from
northwest Oregon.
Many sports
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Buckmaster’s appointment
as controversial,
and others viewed
the appointment of
Jason Atkinson with
apprehension. When
WKHJRYHUQRU¶VRI¿FH
contacted me about these
two appointments, I
PDGHLWFOHDUWKDWP\¿UVW
priority was representing
the interests of eastern
Oregon. During that
conversation and over the
next few weeks I learned
the following: Gov. Brown
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as a package deal and if
one failed, both would
fail. Both individuals had
opposition, and both had
strengths, and both were
unfairly represented at
times by their opposition.
All of the Indian
Tribes of the Columbia
River, including the
Confederated Tribes
of Umatilla Indian
Reservation, endorsed
Mr. Buckmaster.
I believed it was
important for eastern
Oregon to have someone
familiar with wolf issues,
someone who is a land
owner and someone
who understands
livestock production
sit on the commission.
The governor heard my
concerns about the lack
of representation for
ranchers and landowners
and chose to defer on
the two reappointments.
Those positions will be
considered in September.
I have been assured by
KHURI¿FHWKDWVRPHRQH
from northeast Oregon
ZLWKWKRVHTXDOL¿FDWLRQV
will be considered for the
board at that time.
I voted in support
of the governor’s
package — the two new
appointees — with the
assurance our part of the
state will be considered
for a new appointment in
September.
Bobby Levy was an
excellent advocate for
eastern Oregon on the
ODFW Commission,
and come September,
I anticipate a new
commissioner who has
KHUTXDOL¿FDWLRQVZLOOEH
DSSRLQWHGDQGFRQ¿UPHG
— State Sen. Bill
Hansell, a fifth genera-
tion Eastern Oregonian
represents District 29, a
seven-county area from
Hells Canyon to The
Dalles Dam. He and his
wife, Margaret, live in
Athena, where he was
raised and where they
raised their six chil-
dren.
THANK YOU
Me and My Prince Ball
a success because of
community
go to the dance.
We would also like to thank the
businesses and individuals who do-
nated items that were given as door
prizes. Moreover, we would like
Editor,
to extend a huge thank you to 60
The volunteer members of the Minute Photo for taking hundreds
Me and My Prince Ball Committee of portraits of our guests, Serenity
would like to take this opportunity Sisters for working diligently to
to express our deep gratitude for the provide refreshments for every-
unprecedented support we received one and 60 Minute Photo and the
from our community this year. We Hermiston Chamber of Commerce
had the most sponsors we have ever for selling the tickets. We are
had for the ball — 21 in all — and grateful for the Girl Scouts, Girl
more than half of them were for the Scout volunteers, friends of Girl
top two levels of sponsorship! It is Scouts, the Umatilla High School
because of all of our sponsors that we Key Club and Umatilla Robotics
are able to keep the tickets prices the Team for helping us set up before,
same in our 11th year of the ball as host during and clean up after the
LW ZDV DW WKH ¿UVW RQH 6RPH RI WKH dance, as well. All of their sup-
sponsors even donated their comple- port helped to provide an elegant
mentary tickets to our family assis- evening for girls of all ages in our
tance fund, so that those who are ex- community and their fathers or fa-
SHULHQFLQJ ¿QDQFLDO GLI¿FXOW\ FRXOG ther figures.
Finally, we would like to show
our appreciation to the men who
brought their girls to the Me and
My Prince Ball this year. We were
amazed when our tickets sold out
nine days before the big event! It
is very touching to see the beaming
faces of both the young ladies and
their “dates” as they walk in the
door, and watch as the men give
their undivided attention to their
special “little girls” for an entire
evening. We hope you took away
many wonderful memories of the
evening that you will forever hold
dear.
On behalf of the Girl Scouts of
Oregon and Southwest Washington,
Service Unit 22, thank you for mak-
ing the 11th year of the ball so spe-
cial.
MICHELLE KANE
ME AND MY PRINCE BALL COMMITTEE
MEMBER
ELECTED OFFICIALS
STATE
District 29: Sen. Bill Hansell,
R-Umatilla Co., 900 Court St.
N.E., S-423, Salem, OR 97301,
503-986-1729. 101 S.W. Third St.,
Pendleton, OR 97801 (541) 278-
1396. E-mail: ssen.billhansell@
state.or.us.
District 30: Sen. Ted Ferrioli,
R-John Day; 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-223 Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-
1950. 750 W. Main, John Day, OR
97845, (541) 575-2321. E-mail:
ferrioli.sen@state.or.us.
District 58: Rep. Greg Bar-
reto, R-Pendleton; 900 Court St.
N.E., H-480, Salem, OR 97301,
503-986-1458. E-mail: rep.greg-
barrento@state.or.us.
Website:
http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/
barreto
District 57: Rep. Greg Smith,
R-Morrow, 900 Court St. N.E.,
H-280, Salem, OR 97301, 503-
986-1457. P.O. Box 215, Hep-
pner, OR 97836, (541) 676-5154.
E-mail: smith.g.rep@state.or.us.