People who steal bikes or forge checks rarely face jail time, let alone federal prison or the loss of children, because those are misdemeanors. But so is illegal border crossing. So why are immigrant families treated differently, torn apart and imprisoned?
It can’t really be about deterrence. The U.S. didn’t warn Mexico first.
It’s not about numbers. Since 2000, border arrests have plummeted from 1,600,000 to about 300,000 annually.
It’s not about gangs. They’re less than 1 percent of crossings.
It’s not about crime. Immigrants are half as likely to offend as those born here. True, drug traffic is up at the border. But California Border Patrol says they just need more agents.
It’s not about human trafficking. That’s less than 1 percent of border crossings.
It’s not about welfare. Undocumented immigrants don’t qualify for benefits, yet they pay $12 billion in annual taxes.
It’s not about taking American jobs. Crops are rotting and meat packers closing.
It’s not about the law. Nothing requires putting infants in cages.
What it’s really about is evil, ugly, raw, dehumanizing racism that treats brown families as political pawns. Trump’s reprieve is incomplete. Don’t let up. Reunite the families.
Rachel Rich
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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