The Town Council last week voted to issue a joint statement developed with the Police Department that says “everyone who lives here deserves safety and dignity” and that “recent federal immigration enforcement operations do not reflect the values of the town.”
The 3-1 vote had Council Chair John James voting against the bill. Councilor Sam Flinkstrom, who was on vacation, did not vote.
The vote Feb. 10 came after comments were made by 13 residents, nine of whom supported the statement, three who opposed it, and one – former councilor Melissa Costella – who suggested the council take more time before voting so residents could “read, digest and maybe talk with each other” about the issue.
Alicia de los Reyes of Bittersweet Lane, whose parents and grandparents came from Cuba “in search of a better life,” expressed gratitude to the Town Council, Police Department and town manager for the joint public statement.
“I applaud (their) willingness to step up and protect all residents of South Berwick in a very complex and dangerous time,” de los Reyes said.
“Armed, masked guys in unmarked cars taking people off the streets – basically disappearing them – that’s not law enforcement in this country as we know it,” said David McDermott, of Bennett Lot Road, who also thanked town officials “for paying attention to the fears of some of the people in this town and taking the time to put this policy together.”
Among those opposing the joint statement, Rob Bernier, of Mountain Road, said, “We need to separate immigrant from illegal alien. What ICE is doing is getting rid of the illegal aliens that we don’t know” anything about, not the immigrants. “Thank goodness ICE and our law-abiding police department are doing this work.”
Paul Murphy of McLean Lane was concerned that the statement asked residents to call police if they witness ICE activity. ”These (local) law enforcement people work with our federal law enforcement people,” Murphy said. “It is disgusting to even think of what you want people to do around here.”
Council Vice Chair Mallory Cook assured Murphy and others who have this concern that “that instruction came from the Police Department and came from the police chief. That was not added on behalf of the Town Council; that was included in the Police Department statement.”
Brad Christo, of Old Fields Road, said he felt the statement made clear that police are “here to protect the residents of the town,” and expressed hope that “the temperature lowers and we realize that as issues arise, we can solve them.”
The council and police chief were motivated to develop a statement after receiving 18 emails of concern from residents about the recent presence and conduct of ICE in Maine, according to Cook and Councilor Paul Schumacher. Cook noted the emails have continued to come in.
Schumacher said he felt it was important that the town issue a unified statement, not one from the police and another from the council, “which may have been at odds.” Referring to the unified statement, he added, “I am really proud of that, that we came to that.”
James, who voted against the statement, said he wanted more clarity about the part of the joint statement that says, “We intentionally use the word resident, not citizen, because everyone who lives here deserves safety and dignity.”
“I took an oath, and my oath will not allow me to say that it’s okay for you to be here illegally, or undocumented,” James said.
