Oregon officials have condemned a racist letter that has been circulating in various communities throughout Lincoln County. According to a Dec. 19 Facebook post by the sheriff’s office, the letter entitled “The Brown Round Up, Part 1" encouraged residents to track and report information regarding people of color.
There was a particular emphasis placed on “community members that are believed to be undocumented.” “If you see a bunch of brown folks getting in a car, write down the plate number,” the letter stated according to KGW8.
“Starting the last part of January 2025, this nation will commence the largest roundup of brown illegals in our history.” It then told readers to send the collected information to the Department of Homeland Security after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“This type of behavior is harmful, divisive, and inconsistent with the values we uphold as public servants and community members,” Curtis Landers said in a statement about the letter.
“Targeting individuals in this manner erodes trust and undermines the sense of safety and inclusion that we strive to maintain in Lincoln County.”
Sanders encouraged community members to “do the right thing” and “approach such messages with compassion.” He also advised folks to not engage in the activities outlined in the letter.
The disturbing message comes after Trump’s promise to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.” His newly selected “border czar,” Tom Homan, estimated that immigration detention centers would soon need 100,000 beds.
“I’m telling you, at the minimum we need 100,000 beds because we’ve got a big population to look for ... 700,000 criminals alone,” Homan told CNN earlier this month.
“The landing teams have just started working with the agencies and departments. We’ll be gathering information, a lot of information in the next couple weeks, which will help me in my planning process.”
According to The Washington Post, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement “racist letter writing campaigns” had absolutely “no place” in the state.
“It is time to rise above these despicable tactics and demonstrate the true spirit of inclusivity and compassion that defines the Oregon way,” Rosenblum said.