Voces Unidas de las Montañas and Voces Unidas Action Fund publicly denounce Garfield County Board of Commissioners John Martin, Mike Samson and Tom Jankovsky for approving a divisive and harmful resolution declaring Garfield County as a “non-sanctuary county,” sending a clear and unacceptable message that the region’s established Latino and immigrant communities are not welcome here.
“It’s disappointing but not surprising to us that Tom Jankovsky, Mike Samson and John Martin think the immigrant community ‘poses a significant health and safety risk’ to Garfield County despite the decades of contributions our community has given to the Roaring Fork Valley,” Voces Unidas CEO Alex Sánchez said. “Their actions are political and do nothing to resolve the barriers that both long-term and new immigrants face in Garfield County. Instead, they merely make clear where they stand – that police and public officials are not here to serve the Latino community. And that is shameful.”
The resolution perpetuates racist stereotypes through claims that the immigrant community poses “a significant public health and safety risk” due to an “increase in crime, communicable disease, and accelerating demand and unsustainability on public infrastructure such as services, public safety, schools, and the justice system.”
Additionally, the resolution appears to encourage the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department to proactively work with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even when they have not been charged with a crime. Voces Unidas has grave concerns that the new political stance of Garfield County will undermine years of positive police-community relations, with long-term consequences for the entire region.
“This resolution is cruel and misguided,” Sánchez said. “Garfield County continues to ignore the real issues of homelessness and need for shelters and other basic services. Rather than crafting actual policies or working with the state to find help for immigrants, the county continues to neglect its responsibilities and leave municipalities like Carbondale on their own.”
Ready to take action? Sign this petition to show support for the immigrant community and to tell Garfield County Commissioners that they are wrong!