01/09/2026
As we watch troubling scenes out of Minneapolis and Portland, many people assume that kind of federal enforcement only happens in big cities. That assumption is wrong.
These photos—taken just days before the Nov. 4 election—show federal law enforcement taking a person into custody near the 1500 block of Fruitland Ave, just feet from Fruitland Elementary. You can even see local campaign signs in the background.
So while it’s easy to say, “that’s happening somewhere else,” it’s not.
It’s happening here, in Puyallup.
This raises important questions about local leadership and transparency. Current councilmembers Jim Kastama, Renee Gilliam, Dean Johnson, and Dennis King voted to change Puyallup’s Comprehensive Plan. During those discussions, Mr. Kastama cited the need to follow President Trump’s Executive Orders as part of the rationale.
Residents deserve clarity on what those changes mean in practice—and whether they create conditions that invite or normalize expanded federal activity in our neighborhoods.
There are also still unanswered questions about the Flock cameras placed throughout our city:
Are they still operating?
Who has access to the data?
Is any information shared with federal authorities, directly or indirectly?
There are Flock cameras located blocks away from where this detention took place.
The public has not received clear answers, and the silence is concerning.
This shouldn’t be partisan.
It should be about transparency, accountability, and local control.
