Daily Digest: ICE changes tactics + feds end roadless rule + Nez Perce reintroduce wolves
ICE changes tactics in Seattle
The Seattle Time reports that ICE detainment actions at Seattle's federal immigration courts have decreased, possibly in response to ongoing protests outside the building, including blocking vehicle entrances. ICE seizures had scared immigrants from attending hearings, but attorneys don't recommend skipping them:
"Some people are so frightened of being detained that they are not coming to court, said Miki Browne, an attorney with the immigrant rights project. She advises strongly against it since the consequences of missing a hearing are usually a removal order."
In related news from OPB, activists and leaders in Washington county, one of Oregon's most racially diverse counties, announced at a rally that it would pushback against ICE crackdowns there and pointed to the state's sanctuary law law as justification.
Feds to revoke Clinton-era roadless rule
Continuing their assault on wildlands across the west, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the Forest Service will end a Clinton-era rule that prohibits new road building on 91,000-square miles of critical federal habitat, Idaho Capital Sun reports. And Grist has more on Senator Mike Lee's plan to sell off between 2.2 and 3.2 million acres of public lands, many of them in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. And the Oregon legislature passed a tax on nicotine products that would fund wildfire prevention efforts, Oregon Capital Chronicle reports.
Trump wants Washington priests to hide child abuse
The Department of Justice announced it is suing the state of Washington over a new state law that requires Catholic priests to be mandatory reporters if they hear of child abuse or sexual crimes in confession. Not a great look for a church that has a long history of committing child sexual abuse and covering it up. And Trump himself has multiple accusations of sexual assault and misconduct. In related news, the Oregon legislature moved forward last month on removing the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases.
How the Nez Perce helped reintroduce wolves
At Idaho Capital Sun, there's a great, detailed feature on how the Nez Perce tribe, which has historic hunting range over areas of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, has helped campaign for and assist in the reintroduction of wolves to the River of No Return area after their near extinction.
“What I can tell you from my position as the Tribal chairman is the wolf has always played a significant part in who we are as people, based on even the names of our people." --Shannon Wheeler, chairman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee.
--Andrew Engelson
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