Immigrant Rights

With county officials and conservative activists in Oregon counties like Clackamas, Marion and Polk stepping in to "take the reins" in the face of the federal government's inaction, the need for a fundamental overhaul of our nation's economic and immigration systems couldn't be more clear.  This weekend, hundreds of thousands of workers, immigrants and their allies will march together to demand "Jobs for All" and to remind legislators that "Immigrant Rights are Workers Rights".

The climate of division and fear points to the need for something even deeper and more transformative than these absolutely critical changes to national policy.   We need hometown strategies and neighbor-to-neighbor approaches to creating a new culture of equity, solidarity and democratic participation. 

Sometimes you never know what a quick phone call or two (or 36) might make happen.

With just a few calls to our communities' sheriffs, ROP members are creating a ripple effect and letting local law enforcement know that fair and humane treatment of immigrant community members is a priority to rural and small town Oregonians... 

ROP is joining a multistate caravan to California this week to protest deportation and demand immigration reform now.

Real people's lives are being impacted right now by our broken detention and deportation systems. 

    * My friend who is a high school counselor is spending this week in Tacoma in court because one of her students is in the process of deportation to a country he's never been to and only has distant relatives who live there. 

    * 300 farmworkers lost their jobs in Polk County recently

    * 350 workers were recently detained in Laurel, Mississippi. 

    * And nearly 60% of immigrants detained this past year were handed over by local law enforcement, though most do not have a criminal conviction.

This system is hurting families every day.  And ROP leaders Steve Milligan & Jerry Atkin are hitting the streets this week to speak out (or, getting on the bus that is!).

1. Monitor your local newspaper for articles or letters relating to immigration, alerting the RMC when you spot something of interest.
2. Submit letters to the editor to your local newspaper and/ or help recruit others to submit LTEs.
3. Keep in contact with the ROP RMC staff, Kari, about other opportunities to share the pro-human dignity messages and stories.

• A Monthly “Welcoming Message” with the theme of the month, talking points and a sample letter,
• Support on getting your letters and opinion-editorials published in the paper,
• Connections with other RMC leads around the state,
• Trainings on messaging, writing, and Being the Media,
• Creative problem solving,
• Resource materials for you to utilize.

I was one of the lucky ones to take part in the Reform Immigration for America Campaign Summit in Washington, DC last week on behalf of the Rural Organizing Project.  Ten of us from Oregon joined with delegates from 36 states.  The strongest message I came home with is this: 

We (everyone of us) have to exercise our power, turn up the heat, get organized and put the pressure on!  Our elected officials can only act boldly if they believe their constituents are demanding it.   

One of my most meaningful experiences happened before I got there - on my flight between Denver and DC.  I found myself sitting next to a 60-something gentleman who was quite interested in my reason for visiting his home base.  When I mentioned immigration reform, he immediately began presenting his views about the “illegals.”  I could feel my stomach begin to churn.