“Immigrants Make America Great” Says This Button, Not MAGA. It’s Hard to Know if City Officials Agree With this Opinion Because It Have Been Mum on the Issue. Are you an immigrant?
Some students at Portland High School are concerned about the possibility of being snatched and detained from school by members of ICE said a junior at the school this afternoon while he was working at his part-time job in the area. He and his family arrived in the US from South Africa last year. An articulate and good student, he said his favorite subject at Portland High is mathematics.
But, very much on his mind and that of some of his classmates is the detainment of a parent on September 11 outside of Gerald E. Talbot Community School.
The incident was so alarming that Congresswoman Chellie PIngree (D-ME) wrote a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons some of which was reproduced on this blog on September 17th.
In the letter Congresswoman Pingree condemned the action saying that the “arresting officers were unidentifiable, driving unmarked cars and refused to state which agency they represented when asked by the school administrator.” Her letter went on to say the agents “caused confusion among local law enforcement who were not informed of the activity.”. She said that “Above all, no person should be swept up off the street by masked and unidentifiable members of law enforcement,”
During this past week, this blogger has emailed both city hall and the Portland Police Department multiple times asking for a comment on this illegal behavior by the Trump administration. Also inquiring for policy information, communications with schools, etc.. Unfortunately, these numerous inquiries went unanswered by both entities.
Purely by accident, and through no referral by the city hall spokesman, this blogger discovred that on September 11, Portland School Superitentdent Ryan Scallon sent a letter home to families and staff detailing the event that day at Talbot. Importantly, the School Superintendent outlined protocols in great detail to safeguard students’ well-being in the event of law enforcement action on or near Portland Public School grounds, buses, or events. In addiiion, Portland Public schools encourage families to know their rights and have information on-hand in muliple languages for those that may need added support. the letter home from superintendent Scallon said.
“Today’s incident is troubling and the impact on our school community is chlling. We are continuing to gather information and may be limited in what we share as we continue to support the family and school community. (signed by Ryan Scallon, Portland Superintendent).
Where is the letter from Mayor Mark Dion protesting the ICE incident at Talbot on September 11th??? Pull up your little boy pants because burying your head in the sand does not make the problem go away, Mr. Mayor. “You become the problem, Mr. Mayor,” says this blogger. Mayor Mark Dion was previously a sheriff.for Cumberland County in 1998.