When Oregon U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, I think she does not represent Oregon’s principles (“Portland politician skewers Oregon Democrat Janelle Bynum over Laken Riley Act vote, Jan. 30”). Let’s be clear about the true scope of Laken Riley: it permits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold undocumented immigrants who are detained on suspicion of a variety of crimes, including simple theft, without following the proper procedures, which include a trial, consideration of the evidence, and the opportunity to mount a defense. Equal treatment for all, including the right to a fair trial, should be one of Oregon’s core values. In states where racism is strongly embedded, this is even more crucial.
I therefore beg Bynum to consider the repercussions of her behavior. Will someone declare, “I have made the world a safer and more just place for everyone,” after being racially profiled by hate and then just imprisoned without being given due process before being deported? Or will we have more public apprehension about the judgment of cops handling a simple charge?
A typical characteristic of a dictatorship is the denial of human rights, including due process, to a persecuted minority. We shouldn’t allow one. Let’s uphold our commitment to due process for all people and universal human rights.
Oregon’s KC Ottenbacher
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