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Last week we learned the Governor intends to convene a team to assess what the State can do to reduce the devastating impacts of current immigration enforcement. This was, in part, a response to a letter from State Senator Jeneane Sollman to Governor Kotek. Metro will also convene regional leaders to motivate coordinated responses to the impact of abusive federal actions.
Locally, high turnover means only three officers per shift, often working 14–16-hour days in single-officer vehicles, and hesitant to take leave because of understaffing. To counter militarized federal actions in our community, local law enforcement needs clear guidance, sufficient staffing, and tactical resources — including defined enforcement actions and legal protections.
In the meantime, the District Attorney, County Sheriff, and police chiefs across Washington County have been working together to standardize protocols in response to ICE activity. The discouraging reality is that restraint is the least-worst — and only nonlethal — option when a lone officer is confronting a heavily armed federalized assault team predisposed to violent escalation.
The best-case scenario is that the local officer is arrested—along with the targeted individual—and charged for interfering with a federal enforcement action, likely facing prison time. What follows is far worse: a lethal response directed at the officer and potentially at bystanders. The judgment of the officer’s actions is then questioned through a very different lens.
To end the suffering and uphold public safety requires decisive action from the Governor and State Attorney General to strengthen authority, protections, and resources in a manner that will definitively restore security and curb the loss of life. Our collective voice is most effective when focused on urging swift action from our state and congressional leaders. Please join us!
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