PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Democratic Central Committee has voted unanimously to adopt a Jefferson County Democrats resolution that opposes increased U.S. Border Patrol activity on the North Olympic Peninsula.
John Marrs, chairman of the Clallam County Democratic Central Committee, said the only thing that changed in the resolution was the name of the county.
“We agree with the argument that Jefferson County put forth,” Marrs said.
The Jefferson County Democrats approved the resolution on Jan. 30.
“Basically we agreed to sign onto it,” Marrs said.
The resolution calls for a “suspension of expanded Border Patrol activity away from the border until the utility, legality and constitutionality of this expansion has been determined by the Congress and the courts.”
Jefferson County Democrats plan to take the resolution to the state Democratic Central Committee in Tacoma on April 25. Clallam County members also will attend that meeting, Marrs said.
Marrs, Clallam County vice chairwoman Sylvia Hancock, committeewoman Julie Johnson, committeeman Earl Archer and 15 Clallam County precinct officers signed the March 21 resolution.
Last summer, the Border Patrol set up checkpoints near Forks and the Hood Canal Bridge where drivers were stopped and questioned about their citizenship.
The Port Angeles-based Stop the Checkpoints and other protest groups were organized in response.
“Some of our members are active in the protests and encouraged us to sign the resolution,” Marrs said.
Recently, other groups have demonstrated in favor of Border Patrol presence.
Critical of checkpoints
The resolution signed by both Clallam and Jefferson County Democratic parties is critical of the random checkpoints and the Border Patrol’s planned expansion with a new facility in Port Angeles.
“This expansion comes at a time when basic government services such as K-12 education have been cut, long-term local public employees laid off, best practices abandoned for lack of funds, and local officials, the U.S attorney and the FBI have expressed budgetary concerns,” the resolution said.
Both resolutions were sent to elected officials in Washington, D.C.
Marrs said U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, is the representative who has “been most interested” in the issue.
Marrs said he would like to see the mission of the Border Patrol better defined and more oversight on the Border Patrol’s role in looking for people who might be terrorists.
He said the Border Patrol can’t be expected to monitor every beach at all times.
The Clallam County Democratic Central Committee meets quarterly.
It will meet in Sequim this June and in Forks in the fall, Marrs said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@ peninsuladailynews.com.
