October 28, 2019 3:15 a.m.
On Friday Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined other Senate Democrats to introduce legislation to address some of the nation’s immigration challenges at the southwest border.
A release said the Homeland Security Improvement Act would improve Department of Homeland Security engagement with border communities. The release said the legislation establishes an ombudsman for border and immigration enforcement-related concerns with DHS to better ensure accountability, transparency and oversight. Currently, DHS develops its own rules and policies for conduct of operations along the border “without meaningful input from stakeholders, particularly border communities – creating increasing tension between the agency and the public”, according to the release. The legislation would improve DHS operations by mandating community input on enforcement policies and programs and improve transparency by requiring robust reporting on actions and operations, according to the Wyden/Merkley release.
Wyden said “a new system is desperately needed to shed a light on the Department of Homeland Security’s cruel and inhumane practices so that swift action can be taken to right the Trump administration’s many wrongs”.
Merkley said “at every turn, the Trump administration has chosen policies that demonize immigrant communities, proving time and time again that it cares more about creating a climate of fear than treating human beings with fairness and respect”.
The legislation is supported by a number of organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, Border Network for Human Rights, and the National Education Association.