An ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) office and a military veterans center run by the Veterans Affairs Department are scheduled to be occupying the same facility in the Scarborough Industrial Park. ICE is a very controversial organization in the USA. They are still months away from occupying this Scarborough location, but demonstrations against this group have already started here in the Portland area.

I am a Vietnam veteran with issues, and I know that veterans and protesters are going to bring up lots of memories from the Vietnam War. The former soldiers going to their VA office for help will have to pass through these protesters, and that is not going to sit well with these vets. Many of those vets going there are Vietnam War vets who had to deal with many war protesters in the USA some 50 years ago.

On top of these vets coming to the VA, immediately next door (within 25 yards) is an American Legion facility that will be attracting additional veterans (possibly more vets dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder issues).

I have spoken with many citizens, elected officials from Scarborough and at the state level, and almost all agree this is not a good combination. I participated in a Scarborough Town Council Zoom conference a few weeks ago on this subject, and virtually all 15 of the public and elected officials who spoke are against this. Now is the time to put a stop to this – a few months from now will be too late.

Robert “Sam” Kelley
Scarborough