City leaders are now reviewing a long list of options from the city attorney about how best to limit ICE enforcement activity in Biddeford
By RANDY SEAVER | Editor
A false narrative of indifference and complacency by city leaders was shattered during Tuesday’s Biddeford City Council meeting.
Over the last few weeks, a handful of residents have leveled a variety of accusations and emotionally charged criticisms toward members of the council and Mayor Liam LaFountain, implying that city leaders “don’t care” and are “doing nothing” to address community concerns about the July 13 shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
RELATED | Biddeford leaders respond to public criticisms
Despite some angry public outbursts and speculation on social media, it turns out that the city has, in fact, been working diligently to address community concerns, including forging strong relationships with Biddeford’s immigrant community and members of Guerrero’s family.
Near the start of Tuesday’s meeting, City Attorney Harry Center provided the council with a comprehensive, seven-page memo that outlines several options the city could pursue to limit ICE activity in the community.
Several minutes later — during the public comment portion of the meeting — Fatuma Hussein, executive director of the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine, praised city leaders for their responsiveness to the immigrant community in the wake of the shooting, and for their ongoing work.
“We don’t need noise“
Hussein said angry demonstrations, shouting and blame does nothing to improve the lives of immigrant families who are already trying to cope in stressful times.
Hussein said Maine’s immigrant community needs volunteers and community help with housing, food and other basic needs, not angry protests and shouting that often fuels anti-immigrant backlash.
“The last two years have been difficult, but what our community needs right now is not misplaced anger,” Hussein said. “What we need now is people willing to listen, show up and do the work.”
Hussein specifically thanked LaFountain, describing him as “a wonderful mayor” willing to tackle a complex set of challenges. She told councilors that her own immigrant journey began in Biddeford and described the city as a welcoming community.
“I understand there is a lot of anger, but it affects us, too,” Hussein said. “Often these angry voices are too loud. We do not need noise. There are everyday meaningful and tangible needs for those who want to help.”
City attorney | ‘I’m disgusted’
In a notable departure from his typically reserved and impassionate responses to the council, Center led the presentation of his memo with some of his own personal feelings about how the immigration issue is being handled on the federal level.
“I have struggled about how to approach this,” Center told the council, pointing out that he is a lifelong Biddeford resident and the grandson of Italian immigrants who operated a small grocery store on Graham Street.
“I have strong feelings about what’s going on in our country,” Center said. “I am disgusted that individuals – human beings – are referred to by this Administration as catch-of-the-day.”
Center also said he was “troubled” by some public comments directed at the city council and mayor.
“It does trouble me when the anger gets channeled to say the city is not doing anything,” Center said.
“We cannot stop ICE
— City Attorney Harry Center
from coming here.”
Center reminded the council and members of the audience that ICE enforcement activity is a federal issue, pointing to the ‘Supremacy Clause’ in the U.S. Constitution.
“We cannot stop ICE from coming here,” Center said. “We simply have no authority to stop them.”
Center did, however, provide the council with a long list of options they can pursue that would restrict how ICE operates within the city, pointing to another Constitutional doctrine known as the ‘Anti-Commandeering Clause, which gives communities and states some leverage in dealing with federal government.
Biddeford, Center said, has several options for deciding how to restrict ICE activity in the city, including developing ordinances similar to those created by Portland, Lewiston and Rockland; or resolutions such as those adopted by South Portland and Westbrook.
VIEW / DOWLOAD Center’s Sept. 9 memo to the council
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