By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
Leaders in Lincoln County’s Latino and Hispanic community have held three meetings to inform people of their rights following growing tension about mass deportations promised by President Donald Trump and carried out by federal immigration authorities.
Fear of racial profiling and aggression was already a concern after an anonymous letter was sent to several local officials in December urging people to track and report “brown folks” they suspect are undocumented immigrants.
One of the letters landed in the Post Office box of now-retired sheriff Curtis Landers, which led to a sheriff’s office posting on Facebook.
“We want to be unequivocal in our stance: this type of behavior is harmful, divisive, and inconsistent with the values we uphold as public servants and community members,” the letter said in part. “Targeting individuals in this manner erodes trust and undermines the sense of safety and inclusion that we strive to maintain in Lincoln County.”
The sheriff’s office response and the letter, which was rife with typographical errors and threats against undocumented immigrants, received national press attention.
Three invitation-only meetings to inform community members about their rights took place in January in Lincoln City and Newport. The meetings were initially organized by David Price, Oregon Coast Community College’s vice president of engagement, and the community advocacy group Conexion Fenix of Lincoln City.
In addition to the audiences, totaling more than 200, the meetings were attended by police, mayors, Lincoln City and Newport council members and Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis. Also in attendance, Price said, were business owners who rely heavily on Hispanic workers.
According to the 2023 Census, Latino and Hispanic people made up 10.4 percent of the county’s population.
The meetings’ main speaker was Kate Sinkins, an immigration attorney from Washington D.C. who recently moved to Lincoln County. Price said he met her shortly before the “brown roundup” letter came out.
“The letter came out right before Christmas and caused a lot of heartache in that community,” Price said. “So, I knew we had to do something sooner rather than later and so I asked Kate if she would be willing to speak at an open house about the subject.”
During the meetings Sinkins walked attendees through some basics, reminding them they do not have to answer questions from law enforcement such as “Where were you born” or “How you entered the United States.”
Sinkins also explained that people have the right to ask Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents if they have a warrant and to review that warrant to see if it has the correct name and address on it, with a current date and a signature from a federal judge.
Sinkins also advised to have agents slip warrants under their door and that they have the right to refuse any paperwork until they confer with a lawyer. Past “rapid deportations” were often accomplished by having people sign documents in languages they could not read, which stated consent to being deported without seeing an attorney.
People also have the right to refuse to show their documentation to agents before speaking with an attorney.
“I was a little struck when I watched the first presentation,” Price said. “I was kind of expecting a warm, fuzzy, ‘We’ve got your back’, but what Kate told them was much more sobering. It was like, ‘Okay, you need to call the school district and make sure they have an updated contact number … because if you get deported, you need to know that someone’s going to pick up your kids that night.’ And I thought ‘Oh my god, this is what these people are taking home tonight’.”
Sinkins also advised that anyone with mixed-family legal status — where a family member let their legal status lapse without following up — to fill out the necessary documents and make plans in case a parent is deported.
“These are weighty and dreadful conversations that these people were leaving with,” Price said. “It’s not all peaches and cream. This is real.”
Local law enforcement
In 1987 Oregon became the first U.S. state to pass a statewide sanctuary law, prohibiting state and local law enforcement and state government officials from directly or indirectly participating in immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Lt. Karl Vertner said he attended the first two meetings to show support and let people know that local law enforcement is forbidden by Oregon law to assist any federal authorities in doing any roundups.
“And that we want them to feel comfortable and safe in our community,” Vertner said. “And if they have any questions in regards to activities that the local law enforcement is doing, we provide them a number to reach out to us so we can let them know our position.”
Newport police chief Jason Malloy echoed Vertner, saying his officers will not cooperate with immigration authorities by conducting surveillance, detaining or arresting anyone based on their immigration status.
Oregon statutes make “very clear” that no public funding, personnel, equipment or anything else can be used to enforce federal immigration laws. And that civil action can be taken against law enforcement if they violate those laws.
“I don’t want to sound like we are over simplifying this but we just generally as a rule of thumb, because of (statutes) and the prohibitions related to immigration, unless there’s a (judicial) warrant we’re not involved,” Malloy said.
Lt. Jeff Winn of the Lincoln City Police Department said two meetings in Lincoln City went well.
“The message that we are trying to share is that we’re here for all community members regardless,” Winn said. “And we don’t use any of our time, our funds, our equipment or anything to do any type of immigration enforcement. That’s not what we’re here for and we would like anyone in the community to know if they call us, we’re going to come help them. That’s what we do.”
Sanctuary law
Oregon’s sanctuary laws have been strengthened since President Trump’s first term, but they could run up against national and local scrutiny. Republicans in the Oregon Legislature have pushed efforts to repeal the sanctuary law, including several bills introduced in January.
And despite Oregon law, immigration agents can still enter the states armed with federal warrants and to carry out arrests and deportations.
“Before I started researching the issue, I thought Oregon being a sanctuary state meant people had nothing to worry about, but that really in my estimation, doesn’t mean anything ultimately,” Price said. “If it’s a signed warrant from a federal judge – game over. And there’s nothing anybody in Oregon is going to do.”
People attending the three meetings received “red cards” detailing their rights. The cards read: You have constitutional rights:
- Do not open the door if an immigration agent is knocking on it;
- Do not answer any questions from an immigration agent if they try to talk to you. You have the right to remain silent;
- Do not sign anything without first speaking to a lawyer. You have the right to speak with a lawyer;
- If you are away from home, ask the agent if you are free to leave and if they say yes, leave calmly;
- Give the “red card” to the agent and if you are inside your home, show the card through the window or slide it under the door.
Silkins also explained that sliding the cards under the door to agents is important because she knows of many instances of “collateral collections,” where ICE agents arrive on scene with a warrant for one person, but take others along in their sweep.
“I think a lot of this is valuable to people who are documented,” Price said. “The fear is palpable among the people who are fully documented. It’s not just about people who are here without documentation. I think it’s people who are here legally who are still very afraid of how they might be treated.”
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
People who entered the United States illegally have committed a federal crime. It is illegal to harbor federal criminals. Oregon officials and politicians are committing federal crime also by not cooperating with U.S. Immigration law enforcement.
Perhaps you should read the article again, much of the discussion concerned people who are legally in the US being detained anyway. And perhaps you’ve read about (1) Venezuelans who entered the US under a special program granting them asylum (legal residency in the US) have had that disappear because of Trump’s poorly drafted/conceived executive order. They’re now being deported. (2) Since the invasions/military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, there have been federal programs designed to enable Iraqis & Afghanis who worked w/the US, often at substantial risk to themselves & their families, to emigrate to the US. During Trump’s first term, he terminated those programs-they were eventually restored and it’s difficult to see why Trump would’ve wanted to get rid of them–he thinks it’s a good idea to demonstrate how little the US cares about those who help their soldiers? Help them stay alive? Now Trump has stopped those programs again. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-order-leaves-afghans-approved-resettle-us-limbo/story?id=117947379
At the very least, Trump & whoever drafted their anti-immigration orders should’ve considered all of those who are unjustly penalized (& who might be killed) by their blanket anti-immigration policies. And why there are still a large number of HB-1 visas being granted. Because it’s ok to drive down wages by bringing in people from other nations who can be paid less–and whose wage bargaining power is minimal because their employer can use loss of the HB-1 visa as a bargaining tool.
Maybe you should talk to some of the farmers and owners of construction businesses in the US–ask them how many of them rely on people who enter the US “illegally” to make their businesses work, make a profit. In addition to the many years of US meddling in the politics & economies of central America & Mexico that caused much of the socio-economic distress of those nations–which has led to a desire to escape to other nations that seem safer. It’s not just the US, quite a few Venezuelans have emigrated to Uruguay, & other South American nations, in an effort to have a safer, more stable, life for themselves and their children.
Suggest a close reading of Federalist #46, Madison’s treatise on state resistance to federal power.
Per already-litigated case law, immigration law/enforcement is the sole purview of the federal government, and states/localitites can not be commandeered into enforcing federal law, by either force or coercion. This a clear Amendment X rights issue. States/localities do not have to assist with unlawful actions of federal authorities.
As the piece notes, a federal warrant, signed by a federal district judge, and specifically naming the person to be detained, will be honored by Oregon authorities, but so-called “detainers”, or mass detentions without warrant are violations of Amendment IV rights. And states’ authorities’ refusal to cooperate is NOT a violation of any federal law.
The Trump admin sued California in 2018 in an attempt to overturn its state sanctuary law, which is modeled after Oregon’s law.
Trump lost the appeal in the 9th Circuit then applied to the US Supreme Court, which wouldn’t even hear the case.
It’s also useful to point out here that anyone who is in the jurisdiction (no matter where from, nor for what reason, and regardless of documentation status) that does not have diplomatic status is protected by the provisions of the US Constitution. Amendment XIV still applies.
The trouble is that there are a lot of Latinos who are citizens who are being apprehended because they “look” Hispanic. There have been cases of Native Americans being apprehended because they also appear to be “Hispanic”.
There was a suggestion I remember reading somewhere that perhaps these people need to carry “papers” to prove their citizenship. Really? Papers. All due to the idea that they “look” like they might be illegal. I mean there has never been a suggestion that myself with my blue eyes and fair skin has to carry “papers” because I might be illegal.
The meeting was to help out individuals who might be a target of this sort of thing as to how to handle themselves – so what some of this was for was to provide information to people who are here legally or who are citizens who might face being questioned because they “fit” a certain profile. Sad if you ask me that a person has to justify their rights as a citizen just because they happen to “look” like they might be undocumented.
Every immigrant is at risk of arrest and deportation, not just those who are undocumented. Oregon’s Sanctuary State status does not protect them 100%. It only prevents state and local law enforcement, and judges, from helping ICE do the job they are sent here to do.
Regardless of your opinion on this the State of Oregon and municipalities that are sanctuaries will be losing federal money over their choice to ignore federal laws. Standing on principles will cost your constituents.
Incorrect.
States can’t be coerced through penalization to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
I agree but unfortunately alot of people (governors, Senators, bankers like Jamie Dimon) all seem to be intimidated by Trump’s behaviors & I’m sure that’s one reason why he behaves as he does. There’s supposed to be checks & balance w/in the federal system, right now it seems like the “check” on Trump’s grasping at autocractic power that’s functioning is the judicial branch-for now. For those who approve of Trump’s actions so far, think of how you might react if it were a Dem prez doing the same.
A dem prez just did do the same. Joe did his work arounds to put American tax payers on the hook for billions in college debt with his abhorrent loan “forgiveness” programs. Oh, and he also circumvented congress to send millions in weapons to Israel. Oh yeah, Then there was the $200 million to Ukraine without congressional approval.
Biden also deported pretty large numbers of immigrants, some of whom might’ve been documented. Check the numbers assuming they’re still posted. And you approve of that action, right? He also pushed successfully for Medicare to begin using its “buying power” (i.e., all the people w/Medicare coverage) to negotiate with the pharmecutical industry for 10 medications–which could save both those who must use one or more those medications money AND reduce Medicare costs (paid for by taxpayers). You don’t approve of that either? And did you also disapprove of Bush II, Cheney, Inc’s “putting the taxpayers on the hook” for two “off budget” military conflicts? One of which lasted for what, 20 years?
Perhaps you have your Venezuelan “asylum” program mixed up with Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status (TPS). No one is automatically granted asylum by any program, it is a process that one must apply for on US soil. The vast majority who go through the entire asylum process will not qualify. TPS for over 300,000 Venezuelans was recently ended by the Trump administration. TPS was created to be a temporary status, which many choose to ignore, but any president’s administration/Homeland Security can decide to revoke or allow a country’s TPS status to lapse. Yes, Venezuelans did go to other South American countries where the have been safe and content for years, yet when Biden opened the borders, many decided to come to the US and try their luck here at asylum/TPS status and more money. At that point you’re not fleeing danger and death, you’re simply taking advantage of the US and using the sympathy card as your ticket across the border.
I just do not understand all the hate and bigotry aimed at immigrants, undocumented or not.. Everyone in this country except Native Americans came from immigrants. Every wave of immigrants — Italians, Irish, Jews — was met by bigotry by those who came earlier or whose ancestors came earlier. The economy would fall apart without undocumented immigrants, who build houses, pick vegetables and fruits, maintain Lawns and yards, babysit people’s kids and process chicken, pork and beef. So many folks flapping their gums about immigrants should find something better to do, including learning about this nation’s history.