Mark Hintz, Chair of Snohomish County Democrats, encouraged Democrats in a recent email message to attend a community meeting in Lynnwood this Saturday, 9/22/07.  The meeting, sponsored by Community to Community Development (C2C) and Washington CAN!, is convened to provide an opportunity for community discussion on immigration-related issues in the area, including the unnannounced presence in Lynnwood this past Friday of federal agents believed by some to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.  

Tension over immigration has been on the rise in Snohomish County - including in the City of Lynnwood. Immigration raids, law enforcement response to gang activity, and Homeland Security response to anti-terrorism activities have contributed to the erosion of community trust and relationships. Daily life has been affected for many people, especially Latinos.  In some areas of Snohomish County, for example, you are likely to be asked for proof of citizenship even in a routine traffic stop if you look Latino.  There is a sense of intimidation and even fear among people in some communities.

Hintz' message referred to this increased anxiety -- and the need for community members to be aware and trained to help respond.  In addition to the reported presence of ICE agents, he cited a recent visit to Snohomish County by Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the minuteman organization, and noted that the targeting of people of color made everyone less safe.  "The makeup of Snohomish county is changing," Hintz said when I spoke with him on Thursday.   "We need to embrace that change.  There are many people talking about immigration issues and the impact on communities of color," he continued, "but not as many are taking action.  I want to encourage Democrats to take action."

I followed up with a call to Washington CAN! and spoke with community organizer Maru Villalpando, who detailed a gathering of federal agents, likely to be ICE agents, and an unconfirmed report of an immigration raid in Lynnwood this past Friday -- as well as the ongoing presence of an ICE federal agent located at the Lynnwood Police station, and the practice of police in that city of requiring proof of citizenship during routine traffic stops. Villalpando outlined the response of her organization and others to the increased community insecurity, and a proven strategy of gathering and reporting information and offering solutions that enhance community trust and relationships.  See below the fold.

Was there been a gathering of over 50 ICE agents in Lynnwood last Friday, I asked Villalpando?

We don't know that, she answered.  We had a report that there was a gathering of federal agents at a local hotel and that at least one of them was wearing a vest with ICE identification on it.  We sent observers over, but they could not confirm this.  

The Mayor's office did confirm with us on Tuesday that there was a convention of federal agents at this hotel on Friday and that they were meeting on the subject of gangs.  The source didn't want to clarify what arm of federal agents were present, so we feel confident that the original report was very close to the truth.  There was also a report to our office on Friday that there had been an immigration raid at a local store.  The witness said that there were two unmarked SUVs in the store parking lot and that six people in handcuffs were in the custody of what looked like ICE agents.  We sent observers out for that too, but they did not see anything there either.  The witness in that case was not willing to go on the record, and so we are not able to follow up on it.

Could the report on the raid have been a prank, I asked?  It could have been, Villalpando answered.  Or it could have been something that actually happened but the person was afraid to step forward.

When we got the reports on Friday, we didn't want to scare the community, Villalpando said.  But the community was already scared. Recently Washington CAN!, C2C and other organizations put together a rapid response team for situations like this.  We never had an opportunity to activate them.  This is a good time do that now.

Legal observer teams are nothing new.  They've been active for some time in Whatcom County.  They were present at the DelMonte raid in Portland (this past June). When our observers respond to a report, they go to record and inform -- never to intervene.   We don't have the capacity or the authority to intervene in raids.  That is not the purpose of sending observers.  But we can make sure, if a raid happens and we have legal observers there, that we observe and report any abuses.  Based on the information we get, we decide what is next.  We ask, what is the solution?  A first step is to inform community.  People have a right to know who is in their town.   Over the weekend, we distributed around 2,000 "Know Your Rights" flyers in the Lynnwood and Everett area.

I hadn't thought of Lynnwood as a city with a large immigrant population, I said.  Am I understanding right that the city has seen some rapid demographic change in recent years?  

Lynwood has been changing, she said.  Many immigrants have left Seattle and have gone to Lynnwood because it's a more affordable city.  Along with this, we are seeing an increase in reports of people being stopped by the police for traffic enforcement, and then being asked about their immigration status.

Is it people who look Latino or who have dark skin only who are being stopped, I asked?

All the stories we have are from Latinos.  They are stopped for traffic reasons and then asked for documentation.  There are some media reports on this.  Seattle Times and Real Change have done stories. (See notes 1 & 2, below).   Lynnwood police have acknowledged that they are working in collaboration with at least 1 ICE agent.  They are providing courtesy space to the agent and are finding the collaboration to be very useful. Sometimes an ICE agent will be at the station and provide translation.   The police have said that the ICE agent is here primarily to respond to increased gang activity.  

It sounds intimidating, I said, to have this federal agent in the city and if you look Latino you know you're under suspicion and the police might stop and ask for proof of citizenship.

Exactly, Villalpando said.  People are very afraid.  This causes people to be reluctant to call the police when there is crime because they are scared of the police.   What we are offering to the people of Lynnwood are solutions. How can we build community?  How can we make community feel safe?   How can we help the police do their job?  We're building a campaign in Lynnwood now to encourage the city council to pass a resolution that would prohibit city employees from asking about immigration status. Seattle has a similar ordinance.

Lynnwood's Mayor (Don Gogh) has opened door to all the community in the city to explore solutions.  The Mayor's office took the initiative to call us about the community meeting on Saturday and to offer help.  When we met with him previously, he told us that the ICE agent is in Lynnwood because there's a gang problem and local police don't have the capacity to address it.  We mentioned that in South Park (a Seattle neighborhood) there had also been gang activity.  But the community got together and worked with police to address the issue.  There was a good partnership between community members and the police because it was known that the police could not ask immigration questions.  Now South Park is a different place because of this collaboration.  The city still has problems, of course.  But at least there is the ability for the community and the police to work together.

What we're saying to the city of Lynnwood is that we can use these models that are proven to work.  This is an opportunity to build relationships in the community.  

Our organization is very well known for seeking solutions, Villalpando said.  Wherever we go based on a complaint, we not only are ready to fight, but we also bring solutions.   We look for what works for everyone, for the community, for law enforcement.  What we have to offer is to work with the community to help the police use local resources wisely and to gain the trust of the community.   When you are dealing with crime and gang activity, the community knows what's happening.   They can be the bridge to help find the bad guys.

1. Police Toughening Stand on Illegal Immigrants, Lornett Turnbull, Seattle Times, 8/7/07
2. Washington Police Team up with Immigration Officers, Cydney Gillis, 9/5-11/07, Real Change Newspaper