Taylor Tries Again!- From Mary Geddry. Find her on Facebook: @oregonsbayarea

Let’s be clear about what Commissioner Rod Taylor is trying to do with his latest iteration of a proclamation on ICE detainer requests. Cloaked in bureaucratic language and legal disclaimers, this document is part of a broader effort to undermine Oregon’s sanctuary laws and align our community with the politics of fear and division.

The language used, referring repeatedly to “illegal aliens,” is not just outdated, it’s dehumanizing. It’s a deliberate rhetorical tactic meant to equate undocumented status with criminality, even though data consistently shows that immigrants, including undocumented ones, are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens.

This proclamation talks about “public safety” while conveniently ignoring the dangers of entangling local law enforcement with federal immigration agencies. When local police act as an extension of ICE, trust breaks down. Victims of domestic violence stop calling 911. Witnesses stop cooperating. Entire neighborhoods go quiet, not because crime has gone down, but because fear has gone up.

The commissioner claims his statement is non-binding and non-directive. That’s a dodge. What he’s really doing is using the power of the county’s voice to send a political message: that Coos County is ready to ignore the intent of Oregon law in favor of aligning with a federal deportation agenda that has torn apart families and traumatized communities across the country.

We should be focused on policies that actually make us safer, housing, mental health services, addiction treatment, economic opportunity, not using the sheriff’s office to do the work of ICE. Sanctuary policies exist to protect both residents and constitutional rights. Undermining them doesn’t make us safer. It just makes us smaller.

-Mary Geddry