Concern over Trump administration actions and policies was the focus of many attending U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley’s town hall in Salem on Thursday, Jan. 22.
Marion County residents pooled into Chemeketa Community College’s auditorium for the town hall, filling most of the seats. The Oregon Democrat rescheduled the event from earlier this month due to the shooting of two people by federal agents in Portland.
Several attendees spoke against immigration enforcement actions under Trump. Others expressed concern over health care and Trump actions in Venezuela. One person told Merkley that Congress impeach Trump.
In an interview with Keizertimes, Merkley said immigration enforcement and health care are two of the top concerns he is hearing from Oregonians. The third is “authoritarian overtaking of our democratic republic.”
During the town hall, Merkley criticized the Trump administration for using illegal and “aggressive” immigration enforcement tactics and other actions. He referenced a booklet handed to attendees, which he said details “the ten rules of Trump’s authoritarian playbook.”
Examples listed in the book include placing “loyalists” in powerful positions over those who are qualified and overriding Congress authority to determine funding allocations.
Merkley also criticized a “rubber stamp” Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court for failing to stand up to Trump over separation of powers, taxation authority and more.
“We are in a moment of dire risk for our democratic republic,” Merkley said. “Risk of it turning into a strongman authoritarian state.”
On immigration enforcement, one audience member asked what actions Merkley is taking over constituents’ concerns. The speaker expressed worry that Immigration and customs enforcement is becoming “paramilitary” and noted a report from the Associated Press on a federal agency memo giving agents permission to enter homes without a warrant.
Merkley said he has proposed legislation to require agents to wear identification, remove face masks and allow access to attorneys.
“None of those bills are getting heard right now,” Merkley said.
When asked if he would support abolishing ICE, Merkley responded that he doesn’t believe the immigration enforcement agency can be “rehabilitated.”
“I think ICE has to be dismantled and we have to start from scratch,” Merkley said, to applause and a standing ovation from some.
In the interview, Merkley said that in Oregon ICE has primarily focused on Woodburn, and does not inform his office of its plans.
A speaker who described herself as a health care worker of 35 years said she personally saw how the Affordable Care Act benefited people like her daughter with chronic health issues. Now that Congress failed to extend ACA tax credits, she said she is witnessing “terrible damage” to the lives of those who relied on it for health insurance.
“It grieves me. It grieves me deeply,” she said.
Merkley responded that the U.S. is “the only country where families go bankrupt over health care,” and noted that hospitals lose income when families can’t pay.
“So it’s absolutely going in the wrong direction,” Merkley said. “And so I’d like to see us have a better health care system.”
Merkley said he had previously proposed a bill extending tax credits for one year, which didn’t pass. He said the House recently passed a three-year extension, and he will push for a Senate vote after returning to Washington D.C. next week.
Looking forward to the fall elections, Merkley said in an interview that he sees “tremendous blue energy.”
“I’m seeing it in the town halls, the folks being absolutely infuriated with the attack on America’s freedom and basic system of checks and balances,” Merkley said.
NEWS TIP? Contact reporter Krista Kroiss at [email protected].
SUBSCRIBE: Don’t miss any of the news of Keizer, produced by your professional local reporters. An online subscribe is $10 a month, and takes just a moment when you go HERE.
