Two fatal shootings by federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis earlier this month have prompted local discussion and official responses in the Snoqualmie Valley.
Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old United States citizen, was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on January 7 during a federal enforcement operation.
On January 24, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was shot and killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents during protests related to federal immigration enforcement activity in the city.
Both incidents occurred amid a large-scale immigration enforcement surge announced by the Department of Homeland Security and have drawn national attention. Federal officials defended the shootings, while eyewitness accounts, video analyses by multiple national news organizations, and state and local officials have raised questions and called for further investigation.
The deaths have prompted protests in Minneapolis and other cities across the country and have led officials and community groups in the Snoqualmie Valley to seek clarification on local law enforcement roles and policies related to federal immigration enforcement.
During public comment at a Snoqualmie City Council meeting, members of the Snoqualmie Valley Indivisibles addressed council members about federal immigration enforcement. Jesse Skorupa spoke on behalf of the group, asking the city to review its policies and preparedness in the event of increased ICE activity in the Snoqualmie Valley.
Skorupa specifically requested that the city ensure it would not be used as a staging location for federal civil immigration enforcement and that city-owned property, facilities, and resources not be used for that purpose. He cited recent federal immigration enforcement actions, including incidents in Minnesota, as contributing to concern among group members.
“Our goal is simple: clarity, preparedness, and community trust before future ICE engagements in our Valley cause confusion or uncertainty,” Skorupa said.
In a joint statement issued the following morning, the City of North Bend, the City of Snoqualmie, and the Snoqualmie Police Department said they remain committed to serving and protecting all community members regardless of immigration status.
It said that Washington law, including the Keep Washington Working Act, and Snoqualmie Police Department policy prohibit local officers from assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or any other federal agency engaged in federal immigration enforcement. It also said officers do not ask about a person’s immigration status during an investigation, whether the individual is a victim or a suspect, and do not act based on immigration status.
“Should anyone in our communities observe a situation that creates public safety concerns, please call 911 and report it. The Snoqualmie Police Department will respond to ensure public safety, keeping in mind that ICE’s authority arises under federal law,” the statement said. It was issued by Mayor Mary Miller, Mayor James Mayhew, and Interim Police Chief Gary Horejsi.
The full joint statement from the City of North Bend, the City of Snoqualmie, and the Snoqualmie Police Department is available here. Video of the Snoqualmie City Council meeting, including public comment, will be available soon on the City of Snoqualmie website.
Comments
Thank you, Melissa, & Cities of Snoqualmie & North Bend! ❤️
Wow! This is an important statement to make.
The Snoqualmie Valley has some mixed history on how we treat people who arrive here from other locations, so it is great to see the two cities and the police department work together with the promise to protect all the people.
Back in the 1940s the Japanese-American residents of Snoqualmie were forced into camps elsewhere in Washington state. Their jobs were taken away from them, their kids were no longer able to go to school, their homes and businesses were demolished, and the land where their neighborhood was sited was ploughed and turned back into farmland. It is ironic that the last year of peaceful residency of the Japanese-Americans the valedictorian of the high school was the son of Japanese-Americans.
And when we saw the increase in population from the tech industry that brought members of the faith of Islam, there was great pushback that “they” were taking over this Valley. I remember the uproar at a large public meeting in 2016 right before the national election where people stood up to demand that someone “take our country back!” As a result of that fear, I volunteered to speak before the Muslim community at their public open house to welcome them to the Valley, a valley that had become our home when we moved here with our two sons in the early 1990s, and a valley that was now a home to many Muslim families as well.
So it is a very good thing to see that the administrations of the twin cities and their joint police department all came together to make a statement of unity of purpose and unity of protection.
I for one am glad to see that the Valley has people who are aware of the dangers to people who simply have the wrong color skin, religion, language, or national origin. We can be a better community by being place that is welcome to all and that comes together to be the protection for all.