Editor:

This letter is to express my disapproval of the ICE detention facility being considered for our county.  I have considered this from many angles, but keep coming back to the same conclusion — it is not right for our county, neither now nor in the future.

Let’s start with the solemn responsibility of governments to detain and/or imprison people. It is not the responsibility of a private, for-profit company. To make this matter even worse, this company has a track record that brings into question as to why we would even be considering them.

To those of you who think this facility adds diversity to our economy, I cannot even imagine what would lead you to believe that. A hundred jobs with little to no training at high pay? Phone scams are as credible as these “promises.”

Evanston has done a fair job in recent years in revitalizing and making itself more welcoming than it has been in the past. “Evingston,” home of the “insane asylum,” or other derogatory names, is not as pronounced by the rest of Wyoming as it used to be. As a matter of fact, Evanston and Uinta County have become recreation destinations, although still fragile.

The State Hospital has also taken on a less unflattering description and is looked at as a necessary, beneficial and professional institution. Can we expect the same of a private for-profit detention facility?

Or would Evanston then be looked at as some piss ant little town in the middle of nowhere that no one really cares about — out of sight, out of mind? How likely will it be for new business ventures to look favorably at Evanston if this facility goes in?

I also cannot look beyond the hypocrisy and bigotry shown by so many in this county over the past several years. Are these traits also driving support for the facility? Does the promise of a few bucks make the “federal overreach” view just go away?

What about humanity?  This is a subject where all of us need to do a moral inventory on ourselves. Yes, we want security and border protections. But at what cost?

It would be in everyone’s best interest if we would force our elected federal officials to do their jobs to help alleviate the immigration problems of this country. It would also be beneficial for our county and city officials to work hard on diversifying our economy instead of waiting for a “gimme.”

Pete Roitz

Fort Bridger