Statement from Commissioner Stegmann on immigration policy protests: "Find your voice and keep speaking out"

We are in a period of history that will be remembered, and it will shape our future in this world.  There are thousands of children separated from their families today, there are parents who are detained and do not know where their children are. There are human beings being refused basic human rights.  And this morning, federal officers cleared out protestors at the ICE facility right here in Portland.

You can not lose your voice, you have to continue to speak up.  Even if it terrifies you, even if you don’t know where to start.  You have the right to free speech, the right to assemble, and the right to change what is wrong.  That is democracy and it’s what our country is made of.

There are many ways to be heard, community events to support and I urge you to find your voice and keep speaking out.  This is not normal. But it is a pivotal moment and you need to be part of it.