Letter from Charles Sherrard

Justice for Everyone

On June 6, following Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at a hardware store and other locations, protests started in Los Angeles. In response, President Trump ordered 4,000 National Guard troops into the city, despite the fact that California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass disagreed. Trump later sent 700 Marines into the city as well. Trump’s team has also arrested officials who oppose his policies. This is troubling news for our democracy.

Issues with ICE are not limited to Los Angeles, however. On June 14, ICE detained a Venezuelan man outside of a home in Oneonta. He was reported to be working through the legal process in seeking asylum status in the U.S. His challenges with ICE continue, and members of our community are trying to help him find a lawyer. This situation demonstrates the disruptions that ICE is causing in communities large and small.

In a climate of fear and worry, it is perhaps understandable that many people want more police on the streets. However, we must be cautious about how we empower law enforcement. We should also be careful about how we use our military, whether to police protestors, or to enter longstanding conflict in the Middle East. We must stay alert against the threats that arise from our own policy choices, and we must strive to make our country in general and Oneonta in particular a place of justice for everyone.

Charles Sherrard
Oneonta