Locals filled up most seats and lined the walls of White Salmon’s City Council chambers on July 2 to comment on a resolution in support of the immigrant community.
Locals filled up most seats and lined the walls of White Salmon’s City Council chambers on July 2 to comment on a resolution in support of the immigrant community.
WHITE SALMON — Community members packed the White Salmon Fire Hall on July 2, largely demonstrating solidarity with one agenda item in particular: a resolution backing local immigrants amidst intense federal scrutiny, which city council unanimously adopted.
“At the heart of this proclamation lies a fundamental intention to unite us in unwavering support of our most vulnerable neighbors, family and friends — to give voice to those who are routinely silenced. Tonight, we stand together in a show of unity while forces work to divide us,” said Councilor Morella Mora.
More than 50 people attended, and several offered public comments endorsing the resolution introduced by Mora. The daughter of a Venezuelan immigrant and a U.S. citizen, she spoke about the many contributions and sacrifices that Latino immigrants make, including her mother, asking for others to recognize their shared humanity and the right to have a safe, dignified home.
As of early June, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had detained at least 56,000 people nationwide, with just over 1,000 immigrants being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center, the only long-term federal detention facility in Oregon and Washington. According to the Deportation Data Project, which collects immigration enforcement numbers, 60% of those in Tacoma have no criminal record.
ICE has been sighted in the Gorge and local cherry growers, who often rely on migrant workers, have reported labor shortages — some as high as 50% — during peak harvest as a result of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“Many of us in this room know of community members in this region who are actively being detained and deported at routine check-ins, stripped of due process, essentially disappeared,” said Mora. “Every single day that immigrants live in terror, every moment they are dehumanized by harmful rhetoric, every instance their constitutional rights are trampled represents another step toward the erosion of our democracy.”
“I have been blessed to learn so much from especially my Latino neighbors,” said Andy Wade, the pastor of Bethel Congregational Church, during public comment. “What I’ve seen happen over the last several years is an intentional desire to rip communities apart ... We need to stand on love. We need to stand on inclusion.”
Other people shared stories of how their parents journeyed to the United States and emphasized that, apart from Indigenous people, we are all immigrants on this land.
The resolution itself acknowledges that no human being is illegal; that Latinos aren’t just workers, but rather artists, educators and culture makers; and declares White Salmon as a safe place for all immigrants. It also commits elected officials to ensuring due process and safety from violence for the immigrant community.
The audience applauded Mora and council after a 5-0 vote.
In other matters, council signed off on a Spanish-language bonus that will give current and future city employees who can proficiently speak Spanish an extra $200 per month. Council also approved a new contract for Erika Castro-Guzman, the city’s community development director and special projects coordinator, who will now transition to the clerk position.
“We think it’s a great opportunity for her and a good example of internal growth on the team,” said Mayor Marla Keethler.
Apart from the resolution, a few people expressed concerns over road safety and drivers excessively speeding down residential streets where children walk to school during public comment. Councilor Patty Fink, and several organizations are working on 300-500 yard signs that promote traffic calming, and council approved $500 for their production.
Lastly, council established a Wildfire and Emergency Preparedness Committee with 13-15 members comprised of representatives from Washington’s Department of Natural Resources, the White Salmon Valley School District, Skyline Hospital, the West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority, other emergency management entities at the county level and at least four residents.
As an advisory body to council, the committee will promote wildfire-related education and outreach, research risk reduction practices, advocate for critical infrastructure improvements and seek to enhance coordination among diverse stakeholders. Keethler will appoint the members, and council will approve them.
“This, in my mind, is one of the most important things that you can do as a council to get people together to develop a plan so that we know how we’re going to respond when that thing that we never want to see happens, but we know it’s going to happen in one fashion or another,” said Interim City Administrator Paul Koch.
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