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I am writing in support of a Bar Harbor ordinance proposal to clarify the working relationship between town employees and federal immigration enforcement. Of course our police have long experience of successfully coordinating with town, county, state, and federal law enforcement. So why do we need a new ordinance? What has changed?
The fundamental difference is that we now have what I see as a dysfunctional Department of Homeland Security, which has put federal law enforcement agencies in disarray. Inept leadership has created an environment in which experienced officers are instructed to ignore what they have been taught and new officers are inadequately vetted and trained. We have seen the dangerous, disastrous, and deadly results in towns and cities across the nation. Among the victims are local police, officials, and workers who have been sidelined or coerced as ICE and Border Patrol agents violate the constitutional and human rights of residents and visitors, citizens and immigrants.
With LD 1971, Maine has joined other states in passing new laws to clarify the relationship of state and local workers with federal immigration authorities. Now it is Bar Harbor’s turn to locally codify the state law, with some additional safeguards to serve Bar Harbor’s needs. Bar Harbor justly prides itself on being a welcoming town with good community policing. Even under the strains of being a popular tourist destination. All that is not easily created and sustained. And all that is now under threat and at risk.
The proposed ordinance will provide legal guidance and legal protections which will benefit all of us.
Annlinn Kruger
Bar Harbor