10 signatures reached
To: Forest Grove City Council, Hillsboro City Council, Washington County Board of Commissioners
Demand Action Against ICE
Dear Forest Grove City Council, Hillsboro City Council, and Washington Board of Commissioners,
We, the members of Indivisible Forest Grove, write to express our full support for the Declaration of a State of Emergency in Response to the Increased Actions of the Federal Government issued by Washington County Board of Commissioners.
This declaration acknowledges the state of our community and what so many in our community have long known and lived: that Federal Immigration Enforcement has turned into a state sanctioned terror group, causing fear, anxiety and economic hardship on vulnerable neighbors in our community.
Recognizing this as an emergency is not an act of alarmism; it is an act of truth-telling and is a crucial first step toward mobilizing the resources, compassion, and coordination needed to meet the scale of this challenge.
We recognize that declarations must be matched with action. And in this unprecedented time, the community is desperate to feel a sense of security and validation that the cities of Forest Grove, Cornelius and Hillsboro are safe places to live, own businesses and raise a family. As an organization, and members of this community, we look to you - our elected officials and officers of the law - to help bring peace to our streets and reflect the loving neighborhoods that we know our towns to be.
To that end, we call for the following immediate steps:
- Disallow the use of public spaces to ICE agents, including churches, schools, hospitals and local parks. As citizens of this community, it is our tax dollars that fund the maintenance and upkeep of these public spaces and should not be used in the illegal, and race-based detention of our neighbors. We ask that you restrict the movements of ICE agents so our children can feel safe at school, our neighbors can worship in peace, and people can seek desperately needed healthcare.
- Support private businesses' barring entry of their land, buildings and spaces to ICE agents. We believe in the right of private business owners to refuse service to anyone, including Federal ICE agents, and as such, ask for the support of the Hillsboro, Cornelius and Forest Grove police departments to enforce the legal rights of privately held businesses to refuse the use of their spaces, parking lots and buildings. If a private business asks federal ICE agents to leave the premises, they should be able to do so and have that request enforced.
- Pass a City Ordinance requiring clear markings and identification for Federal agents. There have been reported cases of men purchasing tactical gear and fake police badges with the intent of kidnapping women and children. If ICE agents are detaining an immigrant, they need to have clear identification (badges, department insignia, etc) to indicate that they are federal agents. People of our community should not be worried that actual criminals are impersonating federal officers in an effort to kidnap, extort and harm individuals. This demand is in accordance with state and federal law, all we ask is for enforcement.
- Hillsboro, Cornelius and Forest Grove Police Departments need to respond to inbound calls of ICE activity to verify the legitimacy of the agents (see previous concern), monitor for any illegal activity perpetrated by ICE officers and document activity. We are not asking for any local law enforcement to intervene and stop detentions. We are asking that those who swore an oath to protect and serve their community, fulfill that oath by being present to confirm the identities of officers and ensure the safety of property and bystanders. Doing this ensures compliance for both state Sanctuary City Laws and federal immigration enforcement laws. Numerous testimony from community members tell the story of ICE officers using unnecessary use of force on detainees, aggressively lashing out to bystanders who are recording (as in accordance to local and state law) and damaging private property as a way of terrorizing the community. Local police should stand in solidarity with the community they seek to serve. And if they can’t or don’t want to do so, perhaps they should look to enroll in the ranks of ICE instead.
We urge the members of Forest Grove City Council, Hillsboro City Council and the Washington County Board of Commissioners to collaborate on these priorities and ensure that the declaration leads to measurable progress across Washington County.
What elected officials, police departments and community organizations do next will make a statement of where our values as a community lie. We are either for lawlessness, racism and state-sponsored terror; or we stand for enforcing the laws to support our neighbors with compassion, care and humanity. At this crossroads, there is no time for neutrality.
As an organization, Indivisible Forest Grove has already begun coordinating with local non-profits and rapid response groups to provide support to impacted families. We’re proud to see people of all political backgrounds - right, left, center - come together in solidarity and care of the scared and vulnerable. We see a community defined by courage, coordination and compassion. Now, we need our policy makers and elected officials to match what their constituents have already demonstrated: a backbone to stand up to this illegal administration.
As an organization, Indivisible Forest Grove has already begun coordinating with local non-profits and rapid response groups to provide support to impacted families. We’re proud to see people of all political backgrounds - right, left, center - come together in solidarity and care of the scared and vulnerable. We see a community defined by courage, coordination and compassion. Now, we need our policy makers and elected officials to match what their constituents have already demonstrated: a backbone to stand up to this illegal administration.
Why is this important?
The recent declaration of emergency acknowledges the state of our community and what so many in our community have long known and lived: that Federal Immigration Enforcement has turned into a state sanctioned terror group, causing fear, anxiety and economic hardship on vulnerable neighbors in our community.
As stated in the declaration itself:
“These immigrant neighbors, coworkers, and classmates are a vital piece of the fabric of the Washington County community,” the declaration adds. “Recent data from the State of Oregon shows a significant negative impact to immigrant’s health and well-being such as anxiety, sleeplessness, or worsening health due to fear of being targeted, detained, or simply looking or sounding like an immigrant; and … increased immigration enforcement within Washington County has caused residents to fear leaving their homes to go to work, school, take public transportation, access County services, and attend medical appointments; and other necessary daily activities.”
We need the support of our community members to encourage our law enforcement to protect the citizens of Forest Grove, Cornelius and Hillsboro from the aggressive, unconstitutional and lawless abuses committed by ICE agents. We need everyone - neighbors, elected officials and law enforcement - to come together to affirm our belief in the Constitution, rule of law, and the safety and dignity of residents and families.
We need the support of our community members to encourage our law enforcement to protect the citizens of Forest Grove, Cornelius and Hillsboro from the aggressive, unconstitutional and lawless abuses committed by ICE agents. We need everyone - neighbors, elected officials and law enforcement - to come together to affirm our belief in the Constitution, rule of law, and the safety and dignity of residents and families.