Portland must reject JTTF once and for all

Portland’s continued participation in the JTTF betrays our community values, negates our city’s claims that we’re a sanctuary for immigrants, and diverts public-safety resources into an unaccountable structure that has an alarming history of civil rights abuses.

Oregon’s labor movement proudly put significant effort into defeating Measure 105 and racial profiling in the November 2018 election. Organized workers know that we can create safety and security through solidarity with one another.

Measure 105’s backers tried to mislead Oregonians that the measure would make Oregon secure by increasing profiling of immigrants. Increasing profiling in our state would have a devastating impact on immigrant and refugee communities and communities of color, which is why so many of us were jubilant to see 105 fail by a huge margin. Measure 105 did not reflect our community’s values.

For context, Measure 105 failed by almost 2-to-1 statewide, and in Multnomah County the result was even more lopsided — 82 percent of Multnomah County voters rejected the measure. It was a resounding victory and a moment when our community said “no” to the hate and fear-mongering coming from the Oval Office and local white supremacists empowered by the 2016 election.

I believe the community that spoke up so clearly against racial profiling in November is similarly ready to reject Portland’s continued involvement in the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Born out of the Islamophobia of the early 2000s, the FBI created the JTTF to collaborate with police in major cities. Portland has had a tumultuous relationship with the task force ever since, leaving in 2005 and rejoining six years later.

Portland’s continued participation in the JTTF betrays our community values, negates our city’s claims that we’re a sanctuary for immigrants, and diverts public-safety resources into an unaccountable structure that has an alarming history of civil rights abuses.

Our community values our neighbors, rejects nativism and white supremacy, and seeks transparent and accessible public services. None of the sparse information the FBI has revealed about Portland’s involvement in the JTTF gives any comfort that the task force matches our city’s values.

The crowning “accomplishment” of the JTTF, of the little that has been shared, is that it discovered a discontented Somali teenager from Beaverton, helped him plan an attack on the city, then arrested him for following their guidance.

Our city leaders, mindful of our 30-year history of being a sanctuary state, have repeatedly grilled the FBI on whether or not it uses immigration status as part of its counterterrorism mandate. In recent statements the FBI representatives of the JTTF disclosed that they would, in fact, use immigration status against whoever they may be investigating. Their admission should raise red flags about the legal basis and the morality of participating in the JTTF.

Obviously, if Portland police were approached with credible evidence of an imminent threat, they should work with the FBI in responding to that emergency event, which is the traditional role of local law enforcement. However, ongoing collaboration with the FBI through the JTTF does not make any of us safer.

Portland’s city leaders should once and for all end our participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

It doesn’t reflect our values and is not a good use of our law enforcement resources.

Will Layng lives in Portland and is executive director of Portland Jobs With Justice. Reach him at Will@jwjpdx.org

This article was originally published in the Portland Tribune