On Wednesday, August 08, 2018, Kevin Barton, Washington County District Attorney, and Pat Garrett, Washington County Sheriff, had their joint statement in opposition to Oregon Measure 105 published in various newspapers in the Portland, Oregon metro area. These newspapers require registration to read their statement online, and while registration is free, the registration step turns a lot of readers away. So below is the statement in full. One of the points the sheriff makes repeatedly, and rightly so, is that the current law (ORS 181A.820) provides no sanctuary to an undocumented immigrant who commits a crime in Oregon.
As district attorney and sheriff, we are the elected law enforcement leaders in Washington County. One of our primary obligations is to ensure public safety. We believe every member of our community has the right to live, work and raise a family in safety and that an essential aspect of being safe is feeling safe and having access to justice.
Through our role as public safety leaders, we are aware of Ballot Measure 105 (formerly known as Initiative Petition 22). This measure seeks to repeal ORS 181A.820, a 31-year-old Oregon law that controls when local law enforcement agencies may use local resources to enforce federal immigration laws. We are compelled to speak because we believe this ballot measure may negatively impact public safety.
Oregon's Legislature passed ORS 181A.820 in 1987 to provide structure regarding how and when local police can be involved in enforcing federal immigration law. This longstanding law states local police cannot use resources to detect or apprehend persons whose only law violation is federal immigration law. Importantly, this law does not prohibit local police from using resources to detect, apprehend or even cooperate with immigration officials for people who have violated federal immigration law and committed a crime. In other words, the current law (ORS 181A.820) provides no sanctuary to an undocumented immigrant who commits a crime in Oregon. In fact, it specifically authorizes police to share information with federal immigration authorities.
ORS 181A.820 strikes the right balance. Under this law local police cannot enforce federal immigration laws but can cooperate and communicate with immigration authorities if an undocumented immigrant commits a crime. While there are certainly ways the current law could be improved or clarified, and there appears to be some misunderstanding regarding how this law works, repealing it altogether is not the answer.
A repeal of ORS 181A.820 would likely create a chilling effect in our community. Certain members of the immigrant population may be less likely to report crimes, to access justice services such as restraining orders, or to even appear in court and testify as witnesses. Immigrant communities and families may become greater targets for criminals because they may be less likely to come forward or appear in court to testify. These are not hypothetical concerns; we have already seen these issues occur. If ORS 181A.820 is repealed, we believe these problems may increase.
Additionally, a repeal of the current uniform law that allows all law enforcement throughout Oregon to communicate with immigration authorities regarding criminal defendants would likely result in a patchwork of inconsistent ordinances and rules from various cities and counties.
Our community is safer when citizens and non-citizens alike report crimes and testify in court so we can arrest and prosecute criminals. We believe that ORS 181A.820 strikes the right balance to keep our community safe and we oppose the effort to repeal it.
Kevin Barton, Washington County District Attorney, and Pat Garrett, Washington County Sheriff.
Showing posts with label immigrants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label immigrants. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Oregon Measure 105
I try to attend every town hall in my area by my federal and state senators and representatives. I've asked a question only once, at my state representative's public meeting, mostly because there were just a dozen or so people there and I just kinda wanted to see what she would say. I usually already know all of the positions of my state and federal representatives. I'm at these town halls mostly to make sure Trump supporters don't highjack the meeting and make it seem like they are in the majority - they are not. There's usually someone standing at the entrance to the town hall with paper signs - one is green with "agree" on it and one is red with "disagree" on it. Display of the signs is how the speaker knows what the room is thinking.
I like to live tweet town halls I attend. I tweet about questions being asked and how the representative is responding. It's my way of reminding people that their representatives are (or should be) available to answer their questions in public and that people need to take advantage of opportunities to hear directly from their elected officials. My overall message: It's easy to be "involved," and this is what it looks like.
At a recent meeting I attended, one of the audience members said that she is a survivor of sexual violence: she said that, in 2001, she was raped for 15 hours by men in the USA illegally. She asked our Representative to change her mind and support Oregon Measure 105, which will repeal Oregon's Sanctuary State Law (ORS 181A.820). Repeal would mean local police and sheriff's deputies could ask people for proof of their immigration status and arrest people for violating federal immigration law, even if they aren't being investigated for such. The woman at the event believes that most illegal immigrants are criminals, that they commit far more violent crimes than other people, and that Measure 105 will protect people - and that it would have protected her.
Her horrific experience is something that deserves our empathy and sympathy and ANGER, no question. These men that did this are beyond evil. I hope they were prosecuted. In fact, I wish them nothing but pain. But I wish all of this not because they are illegal immigrants. I wish it because they did something reprehensible beyond measure. I would feel the same way had they been legal immigrants. I would feel the same way if they were citizens that were born in the USA. Their legal status as residents or citizens in no way changes the nature of the horror they inflicted.
So, if this survivor had been raped by people where legal immigrants, would she now want all legal immigrants banned? I guess she would say, "If people are willing to commit one crime - crossing the border and living here illegally - they will commit any crime." Never mind that such is not backed up by facts. Yes, there are illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes. There are FAR more natural born citizens who commit violent crimes.
And consider the actions of these immigrants:
William Ramirez, a father of two from Colombia, was on his way to his maintenance job at a boatyard when he witnessed a man trying to gun down a Miami police officer. Ramirez drove his van into the line of fire, shielding the policeman from the shooter and pulling him to safety.
Antonio Diaz Chacon, from Mexico, was in Albuquerque and saw a young girl being abducted off the street, and unhesitatingly pursued the kidnapper to rescue the child.
Jesus Manuel Cordova saved the life of a 9-year-old boy stranded in the Arizona desert. The boy’s mother had died in a car crash, leaving him helpless — until he was discovered by Cordova, who had just entered the country illegally. Cordova stayed with the boy, keeping watch for hours until someone eventually found them and contacted the authorities.
On the day of the Boston marathon bombing of 2013, Costa Rican Carlos Arredondo rushed to help the victims just after the explosion of the two bombs. He made a tourniquet for Jeff Bauman, a victim who lost both legs. His picture in a cowboy hat next to Bauman in a wheelchair circulated around the world.
José Gutierrez, the first American soldier killed in combat after the invasion of Iraq, on March 21, 2003, was an orphaned Guatemalan who had entered the U.S. at the age of 2.
Damián López Rodríguez, a Mexican from Nogales, joined the USA military and he died on April 6, 2007, along with two other soldiers when their Humvee was hit by home-made bomb.
Some of the aforementioned were here legally, some came to the USA illegally. Can you tell which ones just by their actions? Would you really look at the people these immigrants saved or served and saved, "I don't care, I wish they had been deported and not helped you or your family"?
Fearing deportation, many domestic violence victims are steering clear of police and courts. Is that what we want, for people that commit domestic violence, many of them NOT immigrants, to get away with that crime because of fear of deportation? How does that keep us safer?
Immigrants are being scammed by NON immigrants but are reluctant to call police about the crime. How does that keep any of us safer?
When people commit crimes, they should be punished. When people prevent crimes or help people, they should be celebrated. What their immigration status is doesn't in any way make people more likely to be criminals nor heroes.
Washington County, Oregon District Attorney Kevin Barton and Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett have issued a joint statement saying they do not want the repeal of Oregon Measure 105 and that "Our community is safer when citizens and non-citizens alike report crimes and testify in court so we can arrest and prosecute criminals." I agree.
I like to live tweet town halls I attend. I tweet about questions being asked and how the representative is responding. It's my way of reminding people that their representatives are (or should be) available to answer their questions in public and that people need to take advantage of opportunities to hear directly from their elected officials. My overall message: It's easy to be "involved," and this is what it looks like.
At a recent meeting I attended, one of the audience members said that she is a survivor of sexual violence: she said that, in 2001, she was raped for 15 hours by men in the USA illegally. She asked our Representative to change her mind and support Oregon Measure 105, which will repeal Oregon's Sanctuary State Law (ORS 181A.820). Repeal would mean local police and sheriff's deputies could ask people for proof of their immigration status and arrest people for violating federal immigration law, even if they aren't being investigated for such. The woman at the event believes that most illegal immigrants are criminals, that they commit far more violent crimes than other people, and that Measure 105 will protect people - and that it would have protected her.
Her horrific experience is something that deserves our empathy and sympathy and ANGER, no question. These men that did this are beyond evil. I hope they were prosecuted. In fact, I wish them nothing but pain. But I wish all of this not because they are illegal immigrants. I wish it because they did something reprehensible beyond measure. I would feel the same way had they been legal immigrants. I would feel the same way if they were citizens that were born in the USA. Their legal status as residents or citizens in no way changes the nature of the horror they inflicted.
So, if this survivor had been raped by people where legal immigrants, would she now want all legal immigrants banned? I guess she would say, "If people are willing to commit one crime - crossing the border and living here illegally - they will commit any crime." Never mind that such is not backed up by facts. Yes, there are illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes. There are FAR more natural born citizens who commit violent crimes.
And consider the actions of these immigrants:
William Ramirez, a father of two from Colombia, was on his way to his maintenance job at a boatyard when he witnessed a man trying to gun down a Miami police officer. Ramirez drove his van into the line of fire, shielding the policeman from the shooter and pulling him to safety.
Antonio Diaz Chacon, from Mexico, was in Albuquerque and saw a young girl being abducted off the street, and unhesitatingly pursued the kidnapper to rescue the child.
Jesus Manuel Cordova saved the life of a 9-year-old boy stranded in the Arizona desert. The boy’s mother had died in a car crash, leaving him helpless — until he was discovered by Cordova, who had just entered the country illegally. Cordova stayed with the boy, keeping watch for hours until someone eventually found them and contacted the authorities.
On the day of the Boston marathon bombing of 2013, Costa Rican Carlos Arredondo rushed to help the victims just after the explosion of the two bombs. He made a tourniquet for Jeff Bauman, a victim who lost both legs. His picture in a cowboy hat next to Bauman in a wheelchair circulated around the world.
José Gutierrez, the first American soldier killed in combat after the invasion of Iraq, on March 21, 2003, was an orphaned Guatemalan who had entered the U.S. at the age of 2.
Damián López Rodríguez, a Mexican from Nogales, joined the USA military and he died on April 6, 2007, along with two other soldiers when their Humvee was hit by home-made bomb.
Some of the aforementioned were here legally, some came to the USA illegally. Can you tell which ones just by their actions? Would you really look at the people these immigrants saved or served and saved, "I don't care, I wish they had been deported and not helped you or your family"?
Fearing deportation, many domestic violence victims are steering clear of police and courts. Is that what we want, for people that commit domestic violence, many of them NOT immigrants, to get away with that crime because of fear of deportation? How does that keep us safer?
Immigrants are being scammed by NON immigrants but are reluctant to call police about the crime. How does that keep any of us safer?
When people commit crimes, they should be punished. When people prevent crimes or help people, they should be celebrated. What their immigration status is doesn't in any way make people more likely to be criminals nor heroes.
Washington County, Oregon District Attorney Kevin Barton and Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett have issued a joint statement saying they do not want the repeal of Oregon Measure 105 and that "Our community is safer when citizens and non-citizens alike report crimes and testify in court so we can arrest and prosecute criminals." I agree.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Syrian refugee myths - DEBUNKED
Refugees have killed people in the USA!
No. No refugee has ever committed an act of terrorism in the USA. The Boston Bombers, the 911 killers, the Chattanooga shooter were all LEGAL immigrants. In fact, the Boston Bombers were, literally, Caucasians.
Refugees could be terrorists!
So could your neighbor - he could be a follower of Timothy McVeigh (white guy) or Eric Rudolph (white guy) or the Roseburg shooter (white guy) or the Charleston shooter (white guy) or the Colorado theater shooter (white guy) or the Columbine murderers (white guys). How do you know you don't have a neighbor that is a pedophile Catholic priest, or someone that helped cover up the actions of a pedophile priest? Refugees undergo 1-2 years waiting for background checks and undergoing interviews before they are allowed to come to the USA. Also, all immigrants - never refugees - who have committed acts of terrorism in the USA were radicalized in the USA.
The French attacks were done by refugees!
No. The attackers in France were French citizens. A forged Syrian passport was found near the body of one of the slain assailants. It bore the name of a Syrian national who apparently transited through Greece in early October. So we do NOT know if that guy was a refugee.
Muslim countries aren’t taking in Syrian refugees!
As of September 2015, Turkey has taken in 1.9 million refugees. Lebanon: 1.1 million. Jordan: 629,000 (and nearly half of Jordan’s 7 million population is of Palestinian origin). Iraq: 249,000. United Arab Emirates: 250,000. Egypt: 132,000. The darling close allies of the USA, Saudi Arabia & Kuwait? 0 As of Sept., the USA has taken in a whopping… 1,500 Syrian refugees. Source.
The Muslims Holy Book preaches violence!
It does - as much as the Bible does. It also preaches peace - it does that far more than it supports violence. Unlike the Bible, which is rife with violence against non-believers.
Muslims hate Christians!
No. This particular sect of Islam, Daesh, hates Christians - and Shia Muslims and Sunnis they don’t think practice Islam in the “right” way. They have killed far, far more Muslims than Christians.
Muslims commit acts of violence!
Indeed, many of the people committing acts of terrorism in the world are Muslim. Whereas there were far more Christian terrorists in years past, Muslim terrorists have been winning the body count war lately. But just as the KKK and the Charleston church shooter and Eric Rudolph and David Koresh and Warren Jeffs aren’t representative of MOST Christians, just as pedophile Catholic priests and priests and nuns that enslaved single mothers in Ireland and stole their babies in Ireland in the last 100 years aren't representative of all Catholics, Daesh, Al-Queda and others of a similar, murderous nature aren’t representative of MOST Muslims.
Muslims don’t speak out against ISIS (Daesh)
They do, regularly, often, on the Web, via their media.
Ronald Reagan was SO much more tough on terrorists!
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan sent Marines to Lebanon on a peacekeeping mission. In 1983, a bombing at the Marine compound in Beirut, Lebanon killed 241 US service personnel. 3 1/2 months later, and after repeatedly pledging not to do so, Reagan ordered the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Lebanon. Where I’m from, we call that a "cut and run.”
Obama needs to bomb the hell out of Syria!
As of November 18, 2016, the USA has dropped more than 6300 bombs on Syria.
Source 1. Source 2.
We should help our veterans first!
The USA has plenty of money to help both veterans and a measly 10,000 Syrian refugees. We have more than enough money - just cancel some of the military contracts the military *itself* wants canceled (but Halliburton and various Senators want to keep). Also, if every person who put a yellow ribbon or pro-veteran meme on their Facebook page also donated $10 to services that help veterans, programs would be fully funded. There is nothing stopping YOU from donating money to a veterans support group nor writing your congress person and Senators to demand better support for veterans - have you done either?
We can’t have Syrian refugees here - it would be too easy for them to get guns!
And…. scene.
No. No refugee has ever committed an act of terrorism in the USA. The Boston Bombers, the 911 killers, the Chattanooga shooter were all LEGAL immigrants. In fact, the Boston Bombers were, literally, Caucasians.
Refugees could be terrorists!
So could your neighbor - he could be a follower of Timothy McVeigh (white guy) or Eric Rudolph (white guy) or the Roseburg shooter (white guy) or the Charleston shooter (white guy) or the Colorado theater shooter (white guy) or the Columbine murderers (white guys). How do you know you don't have a neighbor that is a pedophile Catholic priest, or someone that helped cover up the actions of a pedophile priest? Refugees undergo 1-2 years waiting for background checks and undergoing interviews before they are allowed to come to the USA. Also, all immigrants - never refugees - who have committed acts of terrorism in the USA were radicalized in the USA.
The French attacks were done by refugees!
No. The attackers in France were French citizens. A forged Syrian passport was found near the body of one of the slain assailants. It bore the name of a Syrian national who apparently transited through Greece in early October. So we do NOT know if that guy was a refugee.
Muslim countries aren’t taking in Syrian refugees!
As of September 2015, Turkey has taken in 1.9 million refugees. Lebanon: 1.1 million. Jordan: 629,000 (and nearly half of Jordan’s 7 million population is of Palestinian origin). Iraq: 249,000. United Arab Emirates: 250,000. Egypt: 132,000. The darling close allies of the USA, Saudi Arabia & Kuwait? 0 As of Sept., the USA has taken in a whopping… 1,500 Syrian refugees. Source.
The Muslims Holy Book preaches violence!
It does - as much as the Bible does. It also preaches peace - it does that far more than it supports violence. Unlike the Bible, which is rife with violence against non-believers.
Muslims hate Christians!
No. This particular sect of Islam, Daesh, hates Christians - and Shia Muslims and Sunnis they don’t think practice Islam in the “right” way. They have killed far, far more Muslims than Christians.
Muslims commit acts of violence!
Indeed, many of the people committing acts of terrorism in the world are Muslim. Whereas there were far more Christian terrorists in years past, Muslim terrorists have been winning the body count war lately. But just as the KKK and the Charleston church shooter and Eric Rudolph and David Koresh and Warren Jeffs aren’t representative of MOST Christians, just as pedophile Catholic priests and priests and nuns that enslaved single mothers in Ireland and stole their babies in Ireland in the last 100 years aren't representative of all Catholics, Daesh, Al-Queda and others of a similar, murderous nature aren’t representative of MOST Muslims.
Muslims don’t speak out against ISIS (Daesh)
They do, regularly, often, on the Web, via their media.
Ronald Reagan was SO much more tough on terrorists!
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan sent Marines to Lebanon on a peacekeeping mission. In 1983, a bombing at the Marine compound in Beirut, Lebanon killed 241 US service personnel. 3 1/2 months later, and after repeatedly pledging not to do so, Reagan ordered the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Lebanon. Where I’m from, we call that a "cut and run.”
Obama needs to bomb the hell out of Syria!
As of November 18, 2016, the USA has dropped more than 6300 bombs on Syria.
Source 1. Source 2.
We should help our veterans first!
The USA has plenty of money to help both veterans and a measly 10,000 Syrian refugees. We have more than enough money - just cancel some of the military contracts the military *itself* wants canceled (but Halliburton and various Senators want to keep). Also, if every person who put a yellow ribbon or pro-veteran meme on their Facebook page also donated $10 to services that help veterans, programs would be fully funded. There is nothing stopping YOU from donating money to a veterans support group nor writing your congress person and Senators to demand better support for veterans - have you done either?
We can’t have Syrian refugees here - it would be too easy for them to get guns!
And…. scene.
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