Thanks to a kick ass host team for the Rural Caucus and Strategy Session we are able to extend the early bird deadline to March 28th. Registering early helps us have an early head count for meals, chairs, printed materials, and more! This year’s caucus is April 25-27 in Baker County (Friday night through Sunday lunch).
Dear ROPnet,
Across Oregon, people are coming together to figure out how to defend themselves and each other from the attacks on immigrants and refugees that Trump has promised. We’ve learned a lot about how to prepare and respond through rapid response, verify local rumors of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, and know our rights as individuals and institutions. There is also so much we still don’t know about how these new policies will play out in our towns, including the removal of protections for “sensitive locations” that previously kept ICE from detaining people in places like schools and faith communities.
(Sidenote: This is why ROP focuses on building and strengthening the network of Human Dignity Groups statewide. Especially right now, we can’t always anticipate what we’re going to face, but we’ve seen time and again how a group of organized people who care can quickly mobilize in the face of the unexpected! Respond to this email and let us know if you want to talk about how to build or strengthen your group or prepare for ICE activity in your community!)
Innovation Law Lab created Safeguarding Oregon Schools: A Toolkit for Schools and School Districts to Protect School Communities Threatened with Immigration Enforcement to assist schools in preparing for these changes and determine how to best protect students and families.
Here’s a bit more about it:
“Oregon public schools bring together families, educators, and community members to educate the next generation, share experiences, and build community. For everyone to thrive in these crucial community spaces, everyone needs to feel safe. Yet the new federal administration has threatened to undermine the safe and welcoming environment that Oregon schools strive to create.
The Trump administration has promised the mass deportation and mass incarceration of immigrants—an agenda that could devastate school communities by separating children from their caregivers. The administration has indicated that it will allow immigration arrests and other enforcement of immigration law at schools—a move that would leave many community members afraid to send their kids to school.
But Oregon schools can work to mitigate the harms the new administration may cause. Instead of allowing a climate of fear to take over, schools must continue their critical work to create diverse, inclusive places where everyone can grow and learn. This toolkit offers a starting point for staff, administrators, and school districts to safeguard schools so that all Oregonian students feel safe and welcome to pursue the education that we all deserve.”
Do you know your school district’s plan for protecting students and families? Share this toolkit with your school administrators, school board members, and teachers! Let us know if we can help you have those conversations.
Warmly,
Emma and the ROP Team
