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EDITORIAL |
Related pagesFrequently asked questions about border patrol checks at Anacortes ferry terminal Homeland Security Checks at Anacortes terminal 2-3 times a week for immediate future Town council considered non-compliance ordinance regarding Border Patrol | |
We have nothing to fear...but councilmembersBy Sharon Kivisto posted 03/20/2008
Federal law requires Border Patrol agents to arrest people living in the country illegally - county Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld talks of potential "civil disobedience." Deputy Chief Border Patrol Agent Joseph Giuliano met with the council Tuesday, March 18 in Friday Harbor to answer questions about the checkpoints at the Anacortes ferry terminal. Rosenfeld said, "There are unintended consequences...We've already seen it with the Oklahoma bombing. You ought to lighten up a bit." Aren't public officials supposed to take oaths to uphold the Constitution and the law? The county Council has been acting above the law lately. Prosecutor Randy Gaylord had to convince them to back down and follow state law after they deliberately ignored Deputy Civil Prosecutor Jon Cain's advice that 'shall' in state law has meaning. The vacating of the waterfront property on Orcas Island is still up in the air. The technicality, as Rosenfeld has referred to it, will be dealt with on April 1, 2008. Councilmember Gene Knapp has stopped the deal from going forward so far. While Giuliano listened to local concerns, he also reminded the council, "We are a nation of laws." There will be checkpoints at other ferry terminals and on other state highways. People who are not citizens will be arrested. As for the council's response to the Border Patrol's checkpoints, Ranker told Giuliano on Tuesday the Border Patrol was spreading "horrific" fear throughout the county. The council needs to realize: Yes, the immigration situation is a mess. But it is a federal mess. While it might have been relatively harmless for the council to spend time passing resolutions demanding an end to the Iraq War or solving global warming, assuming everyone in the county is supportive of turning the county into a de facto sanctuary for illegal aliens is unlikely to be as benign. The place to address the immigration issue is at the federal level. It's time for our councilmembers to focus on issues that are difficult and are in their jurisdiction. Lack of affordable housing, the looming county budget crunch, cleaning up the county code so cellphone coverage can be expanded for safety reasons (without waiting for years) are a few things that come to mind. But on the other hand, if they do decide to fight the feds, here's a speech by Winston Churchill which could come in handy:
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