Residents urge Seaside council to act after reported ICE detentions; calls for protections and outreach
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Summary
Dozens of public commenters told the Dec. 8 council that recent federal-agent activity and at least 11 local detentions have left immigrant residents fearful; speakers urged the council to affirm compliance with Oregon sanctuary law, coordinate with community nonprofits and consider local protections and clearer public messaging.
Multiple Seaside residents and community leaders used the public-comment period at the Dec. 8 meeting to describe recent federal-agent activity in town and to demand stronger local steps to protect immigrant residents.
"Our fundamental rights are not being met," Daphne Juliana Mejia said, describing friends who were taken and urging the council to empathize with the Hispanic community. Emmanuel Hernandez said he spoke "as a voice for the Hispanic immigrants in our community who are too afraid to stand here themselves," adding that families are terrified to leave home for work and that people are being targeted by how they look or speak.
Patrick Ansbro cited local and state legal limits on local enforcement of civil immigration matters and urged the council to "strengthen and publicly affirm Seaside's compliance with Oregon sanctuary law" and to direct police not to assist ICE in civil immigration matters except as required by law. Paula Bartel, director of El Centro Northwest, told the council her organization has documented 11 detentions of Seaside residents between November and December and asked the city to explore local policies and coordinate services to keep families safe.
Business owner Joshua Bocas described windows broken during an apprehension and said the general mood in town is fear and uncertainty for many workers. Speakers repeatedly asked the council to reach out to local nonprofits such as El Centro and Consejo Hispano and to consider a public statement or resolution that would provide clarity and reassurance to affected community members.
Councilors acknowledged the concern and the legal limits of local authority; staff and the mayor said the city is in contact with legislators and other coastal mayors and that the council seeks a unified message. A staff-drafted addition to the minutes of the Nov. 24 meeting—describing differing council views of appropriate public messaging and noting that councilors did not reach a majority position on expanding the message beyond factual information—was added to the consent agenda and approved.
No new ordinance or directive was adopted at the Dec. 8 meeting; residents called for further steps including outreach, clearer public messaging and consideration of a council resolution supporting state-level changes and local protections.