HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0125.077 2024-2026f�0_5. -M-25
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From: Nancy Redfeather
Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2025 6:45 PM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Nancy Redfeather
Subject: Testimony: Resolution 74-25 Hawaii County Council - 4.2.25
Aloha Council Members,
I am a resident and property owner in Kona since 1976. I have been a teacher, small business owner, farmer, Director of a non-
profit, and agricultural educator.
It has been brought to my attention recently that an MOU is being discussed between Homeland Security (ICE) and the Hawai'i
island Police Department under Chief Moszkowicz.
"Trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they protect and serve is essential in a democracy. It is key to the
stability of our communities, the integrity of our criminal justice system, and the safe and effective delivery ofpolicing
services. "1
— The President's Task Force on 21 st Century Policing, 2015
I realize that Section 287(g) was added to the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1996. It authorizes state, county, and local
LEAS to perform federal immigration enforcement duties pursuant to written memorandums of agreement, or MOAs, with U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
However in 2010, the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, identified serious
concerns about the program and noted that the lack of training and oversight provided to task force jurisdictions by ICE
increased the risk of civil rights violations. Partly in response to this and other developments, the Obama administration phased
out the use of task force and hybrid agreements at the end of 2012. The Trump administration, however, hopes to increase the
number of agreements signed nationwide, as well as reintroduce the task force and hybrid models.
While there is no one definition, sanctuary jurisdictions generally are those that have adopted resolutions, ordinances,
laws, or policies that limit local law enforcement's involvement in federal immigration enforcement efforts. These
policies are intended to facilitate trust and increase public safety by ensuring that one's immigration status will not
affect the ability to, for example, come forward as a witness or victim of a crime. Overall, more than 600 cities and
counties and a few states have adopted sanctuary policies.
I realize that Hawaii County has not yet adopted resolutions, ordinances, laws, or policies that limit local law
enforcement's involvement in federal immigration enforcement efforts. These policies are intended to facilitate trust and
increase public safety by ensuring that one's immigration status will not affect the ability to come forward as a witness
or victim of a crime. Overall, more than 600 cities and counties and a few states have adopted sanctuary policies.
Other jurisdictions adopted sanctuary policies to reduce their liability exposure after a series of federal court rulings on
ICE detainer requests. These rulings call into question whether depriving people of liberty based on an ICE detainer
request violates their constitutional rights to due process and to be free of unlawful seizure.
In deciding how to respond to the Trump administration's 287(g) efforts, the Hawaii County Council will need to
consider how limited resources and potential increases in racial profiling and litigation will affect their primary mission
of ensuring public safety. C'mm�� ,fl,,
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As a candidate and as president, President Trump has labeled immigrants as criminals who pose a threat to public
safety. These statements fly in the face of a range of evidence that immigrants are actually less likely to commit serious
crimes than the U.S.-born and that increases in immigration are associated with decreases in crime.
Although the country badly needs a responsible solution to our outdated immigration system, as former Los Angeles
Police Chief William Bratton wrote in 2009, "[T]he solution isn't turning every local police department into an arm of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement."
You have much to consider and it's all important for the future of Hawai'i Island.
I am against the creation of an MOU between Homeland Security and HPD.
Mahalo for your consideration of this request.
Aloha,
Nancy Redfeather
Kawanui Farm, Honalo
wwwlawanuifarm.or
nancyredfeather@hawaii.rr.com