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04/26/2008: "Rick Larson Raises Questions about Border Patrol"

(County and Town of FH hold a joint-meeting on Tuesday)

Border Patrol stops were a topic at the recent joint County-Town of Friday Harbor meeting this week, and now Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld and Council Member Kevin Ranker have gone to the airwaves to voice their views on the Anacortes spot checks.

Rosenfeld was interviewed by National Public Radio reporter Martin Kaste this week and Ranker was on KUOW Seattle’s Public Radio call-in Show “Weekday”, where he said stronger action by the federal representatives were needed to raise questions about Border Patrol Ferry Terminal stops.

2nd District Congressman Rick Larsen has now responded to questions he has been asked, by sending a list of questions to U.S. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar. Larsen wants to know how effective the stops are, and what the negative impacts of the ferry spot checks may have on the economy.

Ranker said he was “Pleased to see Congressman Larsen taking an aggressive interest in this issue,” and Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld agreed, “It's really gratifying to get strong action on this issue from our Congressman so quickly after our contact with him.”



Larsen and others had received a briefing in March about the Border Checkpoints at the Anacortes Terminal, and his questions are a follow up to the meeting.

Larsen is reported to have asked for “specific information about the effectiveness of the stops, other steps they are taking to protect national security and how it is going to accommodate the flood of summer ferry traffic without adversely affecting the county’s economy.”

Council Chair Howard Rosenfeld and Councilman Kevin Ranker have repeatedly expressed their concerns on the negative impact to the local economy if tourists are afraid of being checked; or simply do not want to be delayed by being asked questions by the Border patrol.

Last week Rosenfeld noted to his fellow councilmen that some tourists are from other countries, and the spot check may cause them to go elsewhere. Both Rosenfeld and Ranker also joined in with Councilman Alan Lichter when he expressed his concerns that there was a humanitarian element that goes beyond the economics. Lichter expressed concern about how "people from our community", even those who are not citizens, are being treated after they are apprehended.

Area Border Patrol Deputy Chief Joe Guiliano appeared before the San Juan County Council and took questions from Members and the public in early April, and is now scheduled to appear at the Council Meeting that will be held on Orcas Island on May 6, where all of the questions asked in April are expected to be asked again; but some new answers may be forthcoming as a result of questions being asked by people like Larsen.

At the Council meeting on Tuesday Rosenfeld said one question that has been asked is “are the spot checks legal”? He said it has become clear from all sources so far that they are legal, and he has been told they will continue.

Near the end of the discussion, Rosenfeld asked if there was consensus to send a letter to Congress members and Senators to demand the Border Patrol justify the checkpoints on national security and law enforcement grounds, or stop doing it. County Council Member Rich Peterson dissented. “I don’t want to say ‘cease and desist’ to a law enforcement person doing what he thinks is necessary.”