Press Release: ICS Statement on Inauguration

ICS Executive Director Frank Garcia has made the following statement in response to the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States:

“Today, we observe the inauguration of an administration that has made hateful, racist, and anti-immigrant stances central to its policy. We know that today will be filled with fear and grief for our immigrant and refugee neighbors at the loss of a safer tomorrow. We share these same fears but will always stand firm in our commitment to achieve justice and equity for immigrants.

“We know that the work ahead will be exponentially harder—and exponentially more necessary. Nearly 50 years ago, ICS was founded to defend fundamental human rights at a time when global refugee crises spurred anti-immigrant reforms in the United States. ICS was founded to ensure immigrant and refugee communities would have legal protections, defense, and resources during a turbulent time. We do this same work today, and we will do this same work tomorrow.

“ICS’s history is deeply connected to Oregon’s, which became the nation’s first sanctuary state nearly 40 years ago. Today, we reaffirm this statewide commitment to preventing local police from being manipulated by federal immigration enforcement. We are proud to operate in a state that stands by ‘Oregonians’ state-guaranteed protections and civil liberties.’ We strongly oppose these baseless attacks on our state by the incoming administration.

“To our immigrant family, friends, and community: we stand with you—in grief, in resilience, and in resistance. Whatever comes to pass, we will fight for the rights, dignity, and humanity of our community. We will embrace the lessons of Martin Luther King Jr. and believe in our collective power to achieve a better future despite the challenges ahead.”