Jessica Vega Pederson (center): "I will not allow fear-mongering to tarnish the contribution that my family and I have made to this country." Stephanie Yao Long/StaffStephanie Yao Long Posted on 01/25/2017 6:51:29 PM PST by jazusamo
Full title: President Donald Trump vows to 'crack down' on sanctuary cities. These Oregon officials aren't backing down
President Donald Trump vowed to crack down on sanctuary cities Wednesday, signing an executive order that could strip federal funding from governments that say they won't help federal authorities enforce immigration law.
But Oregon officials say they aren't backing down. Here's a round-up of government leaders who say they're committed to remaining sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants.
Jessica Vega Pederson (center): "I will not allow fear-mongering to tarnish the contribution that my family and I have made to this country." Stephanie Yao Long/StaffStephanie Yao Long
Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson
"We know we are a nation of immigrants. Immigrants are part of the fabric of what makes America a thriving, vibrant nation. When we talk about immigrants, we are talking about our neighbors and our nannies, our contractors and our line cooks, our entrepreneurs and our in-laws. We are talking about families like mine who came to this country in pursuit of opportunity, just as millions had before them.
"I will not allow fear-mongering to tarnish the contribution that my family and I have made to this country. Both sides of my families have faced hostilities. My father is Irish. For many years in this country, the Irish were unwelcomed and belittled. On my mother's side, they came to this country from Mexico, seeking safety and opportunity for their family. To listen to the demonization of immigrants and the talk of building a wall on the Southern border angers me and belittles the contributions that families like mine have made.
"Since the November election, we've seen more pronounced discrimination against people and immigrants of color, which is no less short-sighted and no less immoral now than it was when our country feared an Italian mayor, a German supreme court justice or an Irish Catholic president. We are better than this. We will continue to welcome and value immigrants and refugees.
"To the immigrants and refugees struggling to understand what this means and wondering how they are welcome in this country, I want you to know, I value you. I welcome you. And I will fight to keep our community and our families together. Our inclusive community will not bend amid pressure from anyone. We will continue to work with our community groups and law enforcement agencies to uphold local and state laws and the US constitution to preserve the safety and dignity of all of our community."
Beaverton City Councilor Lacey Beaty
(Beaty supported a resolution, which the Beaverton City Council passed unanimously this month, to become a sanctuary city)
"If you look at the demographics of Beaverton, one in four were born out of this country, one in three are a person of color. The community really brought (the resolution to declare sanctuary) forth to us.
"(Trump) was saying (he would cut federal funding) before the election. He was saying it after the election. It was part of our decision making process. At the end of the day, it didn't outweigh our ability to serve our community.
"We receive about $1.6 million in federal money. That's less than 1 percent of our budget. A lot of what is funded are issues that Trump has said he won't be continuing funding anyway. It's (Environmental Protection Agency) funding, domestic violence money. A lot of that money likely won't come forward to us anyway, regardless of our sanctuary status.
"This decision wasn't made in isolation. We have a diversity advisory board, and a human rights board. We talked about what it would mean to be a sanctuary city. We met on a Saturday to write the language. At the council session, people came and filled the room. We have had overwhelming support from the community.
"This wasn't a decision the five of us made by ourselves. We are not a divisive council, but we don't always agree. The fact that all of us agree this is a priority should say something. We believe in Beaverton's safety. We believe we are a warm, welcoming city. We want to make sure community members felt safe accessing our police dept. If you've witnessed or experienced a crime, and you feel you can't come forward because of fear of being deported ... Our public safety depends on everyone being able to access our police department."
Mayor Ted Wheeler during his ceremonial inauguration at Jason Lee Elementary in Northeast Portland on Jan. 4, 2016. Beth Nakamura/StaffBeth Nakamura
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler
"For more than 150 years, Portland has been a destination for those wanting to apply their hard work to the purpose of creating a better life for themselves and their families. My own family made the trek on the Oregon Trail. We are a city built on immigration.
"We are not going to run from that history. We will not be complicit in the deportation of our neighbors. Under my leadership as Mayor, the City of Portland will remain a welcoming, safe place for all people regardless of immigration status.
"This approach is consistent with the Oregon state law and the 4th and 10th Amendments of the United States Constitution. We will not compromise our values as a city or as Americans and will resist these policies."
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
"Trump's border wall will waste our scarce resources: a 21-foot ladder defeats a 20-foot wall. There are smarter strategies for border security and for infrastructure investment. Let's repair and expand our roads, bridges, jetties, transmission lines, rural broadband, and water infrastructure, to name just a few much better options.
"Moreover, Trump's plan to turn local police into immigration agents promotes crime by destroying the community policing strategies essential for effective law enforcement. It's a big mistake, and I stand with our cities determined not to make this mistake."
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
"It's clear that effective policing requires trust between law enforcement and community members, and any action to remove essential funding from cities and counties choosing to not enforce certain federal immigration laws seriously threatens public safety. With that clear premise in mind, I will keep working to protect the priorities of Oregonians, including the choice by cities like Portland and counties in our state to welcome immigrants and refugees as neighbors."
Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury
"Today we are learning about new efforts to threaten immigrants and refugees and to undermine the core values that bind our county and our country together. We are not going to turn our backs on the most vulnerable people in our community because Donald Trump is threatening us. And it doesn't matter if those threats are being made on Twitter or with an executive order. We are here to tell members of our community that we will stand up for you.
"The Multnomah County Commission has been and will continue to be committed to the work of promoting community trust, safety and stability. We need to fight against hatred that aims to tear us apart and set us against each other. We need to persevere against violence, which ruins lives and scars our future. At Multnomah County, we believe that every resident should be able to live and thrive without fear. We will continue to provide the vital services and safety net that our community needs, regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation or immigration status. But I felt it was important for our community to know that Multnomah County will do what we have always done: Follow the Oregon constitution and the policy of directing local resources for local priorities.
"We cannot allay every fear, and we don't have all the answers. But we can affirm the commitment of our staff and the policies of this county that are and will be focused on supporting the health and well-being of our immigrant and refugee communities. So if Washington DC is going to become a swamp of fear and hate, it is up to us here in our community to bring people together to find real solutions that will inspire generations to come.
"There's really no way to predict at this point what the actions that were taken today are going to look like. I think it's incumbent upon all of us to stand up to bullying and threatening, to say we're not going to take it. Yes, federal funds are extremely important to the work that we do to provide services, but we can't just be bullied around by someone who wants to enforce rules and laws that we think are detrimental to the very fabric and core of who we are as a community."
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese: "We want to really establish a relationship of trust with everyone in our community. It makes us all safer."Beth Nakamura
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese
"It is vital to our mission of community safety that members of this community feel comfortable calling 9-1-1 to report crimes without fear of local enforcement enforcing (Immigrations and Custom Enforcement) detainers. I believe we have a responsibility to nurture a relationship of trust with everyone in our community. When our community trusts us, they share information about crime and victimization that they may not otherwise share. That makes us all safer.
"Multnomah County Sheriff's Office's mission does not include an enforcement role in federal immigration law. If we were to participate with (Immigrations and Custom Enforcement) in arresting or detaining people based solely on their immigration status, it would make our job of protecting and serving our community much harder. In all of its public safety roles, patrol investigations and operations of our jail facilities, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office follows state and federal law. As a result, we don't use our resources or personnel to enforce federal immigration law nor do we hold people pursuant to (Immigrations and Custom Enforcement) detainers. As sheriff, I am incredibly proud to stand with Multnomah County's elected leaders and our community leaders. Together, we will restore and build community trust.
"There's a lot that's unknown in the statements that were made today. I can't predict what may occur at the federal level. Certainly I want to reinforce to people in our community: We're going to follow current state law. We are going to continue doing the things that we've been doing for a long time in building trust in our community, particularly with communities that have historically had difficult relationships with law enforcement. Maybe they come from countries where law enforcement is not to be trusted. Here, we want to reinforce that we work for everybody. We want to really establish a relationship of trust with everyone in our community. It makes us all safer."
NYC 10.5 bil Chicago 3.6. Saw those numbers today.
See 12
Oops 9
Universally the left believes they can tie these actions up in the courts.
There’s a LOT of Obama judges out there now.
However, Trump has underpinned all of his orders in Federal Law.
And a President has nobody to stop him from following the law. And A district or even Circuit court has no way to compel him to do anything...especially when it’s legal. 100% in accordance with existing law.
The political reality of these leftist politicians is that they must resist to the best of their ability and make a show of it. But as soon as the hammer comes down they will all fold.
All of them.
Sorry they gotta go back.
Swearing to honor the laws of our nation is part of the process of them serving in to hold these positions.
The Justice Department may have final say here.
If they are advocating criminal behavior, or saying they’ll look the other way, they cannot serve in the position they are in.
These mayors, city councilmen, and other politicians aiding illegal aliens should be arrested and locked up in a federal holding facility.
It’s interesting: Just watching the Lou Dobbs program and he has a sanctuary city map of the country up. Oregon, by a wide measure, has the most sanctuary cities of ANY STATE and the state itself has declared itself a sanctuary. California, by comparison has only a very few along the coast.
Absolutely...Well said.
Isn’t it a good feeling to know that President Trump’s and AG Sessions Justice Department will have the final say? :-)
I am no lawyer, but I am betting that the entire world is about to get a civics lesson in U.S. immigration law. I suspect that the President has tremendous authority under the U.S. Code--and The Donald is ready to wield it.
Oregonians dont like California transplants but they love illegal aliens @#^%!
Damn straight!
Conflate “legal immigrant” with “illegal alien.”
SOP
Legal immigrants do not ask for or require sanctuary. It is those who are here illegally that are the issue. All of the politicianS conveniently left out the distinction.
Yes, send in troops. The NG? Most Dem Governors would have a problem with the NG doing this. I say let these victims of illegals with sanctuary sue the damn sanctuary cities.
Are these all democrats looking for votes, and are they at risk of losing reelection without said imported voters?
It is not immigrants that the rest of us are concerned about, it is the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
Well....that’s ONE WAY for us in Oregon to get ourselves a REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR!!!
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