ICE

Oregon House votes to expand privacy for undocumented immigrants

A bill that would limit the assistance of schools, courts and other public agencies in federal immigration enforcement passed the Oregon House of Representatives Tuesday.

Under the bill, public institutions would be prohibited from disclosing personal information such as a workplace or phone number to federal immigration authorities unless that disclosure is required by federal law.

The bill was introduced by Reps. Teresa Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, and Diego Hernandez, D-Portland, and passed 35-23 along party lines...

Alonso Leon and Hernandez, along with 26 House and seven Senate Democrats...wish to increase privacy for immigrants "in response to recent Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids throughout the state," according to a news release by House Democrats...

The bill would also prohibit public agencies from collecting information about a person's immigration status...

A statement from House Republicans called the bill "an attempt to subvert federal immigration policy."

"This bill would make it nearly impossible for state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials and would allow even individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes to escape immigration enforcement," Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, said in a statement.

During the House session, Rep. Greg Barreto, R-Cove, read a letter from Immigration and Customs Enforcement representative Melissa Nitsch, who said the agency "does not conduct raids, sweeps, or checkpoints, or conduct random enforcement activity," but rather does "targeted, lead-driven enforcement" on individuals the agency deems a threat to public safety.

As a sanctuary state, Oregon already prohibits the use of state and local resources in federal immigration enforcement if a person's only crime is being in the country illegally... Read more about Oregon House votes to expand privacy for undocumented immigrants

Half of Oregon's criminal illegals held for sex crimes, 83% are Mexican

In a report that has national implications, almost half of the illegal immigrants held in Oregon jails in May faced serious sex crimes including rape, abuse and sodomy.

Of 969 illegals held in jail for that one month, 461 have been charged with the three sex crimes.

A majority are being held in Portland and Salem area jails, according to the report from immigration expert David Olen Cross, whose report is based on statistics from Oregon's Department Corrections and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers.

Most, over 83 percent, were from Mexico, according to Cross.

Nationally the number of criminal illegals held on sex crimes isn't fully known, but Cross' report suggests it is high. The Trump administration has put a focus on deporting criminal illegals.

Last week, the acting director of ICE said the administration is shifting its approach to also targeting those who come across the border illegally. He said it is wrong to let them go and wait for them to commit crimes.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com Read more about Half of Oregon's criminal illegals held for sex crimes, 83% are Mexican

Next OFIR meeting - Saturday, June 24 at 2:00pm

Alert date: 
June 15, 2017
Alert body: 

Mark your calendar and invite a friend to join you Saturday, June 24th at 2:00pm for OFIR's next meeting at the Best Western Mill Creek Inn, across from Costco in Salem, OR.

Things are heating up in the Oregon Legislature as time is running short and so many things are yet unresolved.  OFIR has invited Representatives Greg Barreto and Mike Nearman to join us.  Your questions are welcome and encouraged as time allows!

Initiative Petition #22  - to overturn Oregon's Sanctuary Statute ORS 181A.820 is now in the hands of the Attorney General, awaiting a ballot title.  Perhaps by meeting day, we will have a ballot title.

OFIR has been closely monitoring HB 3464 and it's particularly troubling legislation.  Read the press release.  The bill has now advanced to the House Floor and OFIR members are encouraged to phone or email their Representatives and encourage them to vote no on this terrible bill.

As usual, our agenda is packed with the most up-to-date information regarding recent immigration issues here in Oregon and across the country.

 


 

Oregon’s Marion County First in Foreign National Crime in May 2017

On May 1, 2017 Oregon’s Marion County had 231 of the 962 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) incarcerated in the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) prison system; the county was first in foreign national crime in the state with 23.84 percent of the criminal aliens in DOC prisons.

The following table reveals how Marion County residents were harmed or victimized by the 231 criminal aliens incarcerated on May 1st in the DOC prison system with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration detainers.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

Total Number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Marion County by Type of Crime

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Marion County by Type of Crime

Sex Abuse

50

21.65%

Rape

48

20.78%

Sodomy

32

13.85%

Homicide

22

9.52%

Assault

16

6.93%

Robbery

11

4.76%

Kidnapping

10

4.33%

Drugs

9

3.90%

Theft

6

2.60%

Burglary

4

1.73%

Driving Offense

1

0.43%

Vehicle Theft

1

0.43%

Arson

0

0.00%

Escape

0

0.00%

Forgery

0

0.00%

Other / Combination Crimes

21

9.09%

Total

231

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

This table reveals, using the DOC ICE detainer numbers from May 1st, the total number of criminal alien inmates incarcerated in the DOC prison system by type of crime from all Oregon counties, the total number of criminal alien inmates from Marion County in DOC prisons by type of crime and the percentage of those alien inmates who were from the county by type of crime.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

Total number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from all Oregon Counties by Type of Crime

Total number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Marion County by Type of Crime

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Marion County by Type of Crime

Sex Abuse

197

50

25.38%

Rape

170

48

28.24%

Homicide

136

22

16.18%

Drugs

107

9

8.41%

Sodomy

94

32

34.04%

Assault

82

16

19.51%

Robbery

54

11

20.37%

Kidnapping

27

10

37.04%

Burglary

20

4

20.00%

Theft

17

6

35.29%

Driving Offense

8

1

12.50%

Vehicle Theft

4

1

25.00%

Arson

0

0

0.00%

Forgery

0

0

0.00%

Escape

0

0

0.00%

Other / Combination Crimes

53

21

39.62%

Total

969

231

 

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

The following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the majority of the 231 criminal aliens with ICE immigration detainers who have harmed or victimized the residents Marion County in the DOC prison system.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Country

Total Inmates W/ ICE Detainers from Marion Country by Country of Origin in DOC Prisons

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers by Country of Origin from Marion County in DOC Prisons

Mexico

202

87.45%

Federated States of Micronesia

3

1.30%

Cambodia

2

0.87%

El Salvador

2

0.87%

Marshall Islands

2

0.87%

Russia

2

0.87%

Vietnam

2

0.87%

Other Countries

16

6.93%

Total

231

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

Criminal aliens from 21 different countries have harmed or victimized the residents of Marion County.

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. This report is a service to state, county and city governmental officials in Marion County to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the county. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com or at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/

https://docfnc.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/oregons-marion-county-first-in-foreign-national-crime-in-may-2017/ Read more about Oregon’s Marion County First in Foreign National Crime in May 2017

HB 3464 -State Rep. Barreto explains why this legislation is bad for Oregon

Alert date: 
June 14, 2017
Alert body: 
My Eastern Oregon

OREGON: House Bill 3464 Issued by Barreto

Posted on June 12, 2017

Representative Greg Barreto has issued a statement on House Bill 3464, The Governors sanctuary state bill.  That statement can be viewed below.

House Bill 3464, the Governor’s sanctuary state bill, had a public hearing in the House Committee on Rules. Our office has received numerous calls and emails from constituents opposing this bill, and I want to shed some light on my position, where we are in this process, and what you can do to help.

HB 3464 came about based on the Governor and other Democrat leaders’ desire to oppose federal immigration laws. As President Trump seeks to regain control over lax immigration policy, Oregon leaders have used it as an opportunity to bolster the liberal agenda by using appeals to emotion and fear about deportation in Oregon, effectively creating an environment where being in favor of immigration reform and enforcement is equated to bigotry and racial prejudice.

The mistruth of that narrative is sort of insignificant in the climate we live in here in Oregon. Daily we see emotionally driven narratives fly out of Democrat offices and they are spread as truth, and any argument against is considered uninformed or hateful. Unfortunately, these so called “truths” are often very effective calls to action.

For example, late last week our office received a press release from the House Majority (Democrat) Office about the upcoming hearing on HB 3464. In the press release it said, “the increase of ICE raids and deportations in Oregon has created an environment of fear in communities throughout the state.” We requested a list of sources from the House Majority Office to verify that fact. We received a list of five links to articles about ICE activity in Oregon and throughout the US. It was interesting to go through the articles. Many talked about increased fear, most referenced national ICE activity, and two talked specifically about the well-known Woodburn case. There was not a single article with statistics related to increased ICE activity specific to Oregon, and the statistics we’ve found point to a decrease in deportations this year. But it is loose claims like this that, regardless of verifiability, that get people mobilized.

Last night at the hearing on HB 3464, the Governor used Japanese internment camps to advocate on behalf of this bill. The rhetoric of using a horrifying piece of United States history to advance a bill that would hinder our state from enforcing federal immigration laws would lead folks to believe that those who oppose the bill are bigoted and hateful when in fact they simply have a high regard of the rule of law.  This is an unsound argument and a gross misuse of strategy in continuing to push their inflammatory agenda.

Our office has received an overwhelming number of calls and emails from constituents in opposition to this bill. I also stand in opposition to this bill, and will not be falsely shamed into voting for a bill against my values, and those constituent concerns when bills like this are undermining federal law. Without a doubt, this issue has been neglected and undealt with and there have been decades of lack of action, but that does not mean that current law should be ignored or subverted when we now have an interest at a national level in addressing the problem and working towards a solution.

The rules committee adjourned last night after testimony both in favor and against HB 3464. The committee will not vote on this bill until a work session is held, and it has not yet been scheduled. I would encourage all of you to continue to reach out to legislators on the Rules committee, the Governor, and the Attorney General and voice your opposition of this bill. My vote alone does not express nearly what your calls and emails can, and they need to hear from all of you.

http://www.myeasternoregon.com/2017/06/12/oregon-house-bill-3464-issued-by-barreto/

Oregon’s Washington County Third in Foreign National Crime in May 2017

On May 1, 2017 Oregon’s Washington County had 193 of the 969 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) incarcerated in the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) prison system; the county was third in foreign national crime in the state with 19.92 percent of the criminal aliens in DOC prisons.

The following table reveals how Washington County residents were harmed or victimized by the 193 criminal aliens incarcerated on May 1st in the DOC prison system with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration detainers.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

Total Number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Washington County by Type of Crime

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Washington County by Type of Crime

Sex Abuse

49

25.39%

Rape

40

20.73%

Assault

22

11.40%

Homicide

21

10.88%

Sodomy

18

9.33%

Drugs

16

8.29%

Robbery

11

5.70%

Burglary

5

2.59%

Kidnapping

4

2.07%

Driving Offense

2

1.04%

Theft

1

0.52%

Arson

0

0.00%

Escape

0

0.00%

Forgery

0

0.00%

Vehicle Theft

0

0.00%

Other / Combination Crimes

4

2.07%

Total

193

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

This table reveals, using the DOC ICE detainer numbers from May 1st, the total number of criminal alien inmates incarcerated in the DOC prison system by type of crime from all Oregon counties, the total number of criminal alien inmates from Washington County in DOC prisons by type of crime and the percentage of those alien inmates who were from the county by type of crime.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

Total number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from all Oregon Counties by Type of Crime

Total number of Inmates W/ ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Washington County by Type of Crime

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers in DOC Prisons from Washington County by Type of Crime

Sex Abuse

197

49

24.87%

Rape

170

40

23.53%

Homicide

136

21

15.44%

Drugs

107

16

14.95%

Sodomy

94

18

19.15%

Assault

82

22

26.83%

Robbery

54

11

20.37%

Kidnapping

27

4

14.81%

Burglary

20

5

25.00%

Theft

17

1

5.88%

Driving Offense

8

2

25.00%

Vehicle Theft

4

0

0.00%

Arson

0

0

0.00%

Forgery

0

0

0.00%

Escape

0

0

0.00%

Other / Combination Crimes

53

4

7.55%

Total

969

193

 

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

The following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the majority of the 193 criminal aliens with ICE immigration detainers who have harmed or victimized the residents Washington County in the DOC prison system.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Country

Total Inmates W/ ICE Detainers from Washington Country by Country of Origin in DOC Prisons

Percentage of Inmates W/ICE Detainers by Country of Origin from Washington County in DOC Prisons

Mexico

150

77.72%

Guatemala

9

4.66%

Cuba

3

1.55%

EL Salvador

3

1.55%

Federated States of Micronesia

3

1.55%

Honduras

3

1.55%

Marshall Islands

2

1.04%

Philippines

2

1.04%

Ukraine

2

1.04%

Other Countries

16

8.29%

Total

193

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 May 17.

Criminal aliens from 24 different countries have harmed or victimized the residents of Washington County.

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. This report is a service to state, county and city governmental officials in Washington County to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the county. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com or at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/

https://docfnc.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/oregons-washington-county-third-in-foreign-national-crime-in-may-2017/


  Read more about Oregon’s Washington County Third in Foreign National Crime in May 2017

Trump targets illegal immigrants who were given reprieves from deportation by Obama

In September 2014, Gilberto Velasquez, a 38-year-old house painter from El Salvador, received life-changing news: The U.S. government had decided to shelve its deportation action against him.

The move was part of a policy change initiated by then-President Barack Obama in 2011 to pull back from deporting immigrants who had formed deep ties in the United States and whom the government considered no threat to public safety...

Last month, things changed again for the painter, who has lived in the United States illegally since 2005 and has a U.S.-born child. He received news that the government wanted to put his deportation case back on the court calendar...

The Trump administration has moved to reopen the cases of hundreds of illegal immigrants...

Trump signaled in January that he planned to dramatically widen the net of illegal immigrants targeted for deportation, but his administration has not publicized its efforts to reopen immigration cases.

It represents one of the first concrete examples of the crackdown promised by Trump and is likely to stir fears among tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who thought they were safe from deportation.

While cases were reopened during the Obama administration as well, it was generally only if an immigrant had committed a serious crime, immigration attorneys say. The Trump administration has sharply increased the number of cases it is asking the courts to reopen, and its targets appear to include at least some people who have not committed any crimes since their cases were closed.

Between March 1 and May 31, prosecutors moved to reopen 1,329 cases, according to a Reuters' analysis of data from the Executive Office of Immigration Review, or EOIR. The Obama administration filed 430 similar motions during the same period in 2016.

Jennifer Elzea, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed the agency was now filing motions with immigration courts to reopen cases where illegal immigrants had "since been arrested for or convicted of a crime."

It is not possible to tell from the EOIR data how many of the cases the Trump administration is seeking to reopen involve immigrants who committed crimes after their cases were closed.

Attorneys interviewed by Reuters say indeed some of the cases being reopened are because immigrants were arrested for serious crimes, but they are also seeing cases involving people who haven't committed crimes or who were cited for minor violations, like traffic tickets.

"This is a sea change, said attorney David Leopold, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association...

Elzea said the agency reviews cases, "to see if the basis for prosecutorial discretion is still appropriate."

POLICY SHIFTS

After Obama announced his shift toward targeting illegal immigrants who had committed serious crimes, prosecutors embraced their new discretion to close cases.

Between January 2012 and Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the government shelved some 81,000 cases...

Trump signed an executive order overturning the Obama-era policy on Jan. 25. Under the new guidelines, while criminals remain the highest priority for deportation, anyone in the country illegally is a potential target...

In Velasquez's case, for example, he was cited for driving without a license in Tennessee, where illegal immigrants cannot get licenses, he said.

"I respect the law and just dedicate myself to my work," he said. "I don't understand why this is happening."

Motions to reopen closed cases have been filed in 32 states, with the highest numbers in California, Florida and Virginia...

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg and Reade Levinson in New York; Additional reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley in Washington; Editing by Sue Horton and Ross Colvin) Read more about Trump targets illegal immigrants who were given reprieves from deportation by Obama

Should illegal aliens be a "protected" class of people? The Governor seems to think so.

Alert date: 
June 4, 2017
Alert body: 

PRESS RELEASE

OREGON HOUSE DEMOCRATS

For Immediate Release For More Information, Contact:

May 31, 2017 Scott Moore: 503-986-1904

Legislators, Gov. Brown, and AG Rosenblum File Bill to Protect Privacy of Oregonians

   HB 3464 limits information collection and increases privacy

in response to federal anti-immigration actions

SALEM—Responding to increasing concerns about aggressive federal anti-immigration actions, Reps. Teresa Alonso Leon (D-Woodburn) and Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) have filed a bill to strengthen privacy protections for vulnerable populations. HB 3464 was filed on behalf of Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

“Our immigrant communities are living in fear,” says Rep. Alonso Leon. “I have heard from children who are afraid to go to school in the morning, because they aren’t sure if their parents will be home at the end of the day. I won’t stand for these inhumane immigration enforcement tactics that are tearing families apart—this bill is our chance to protect these communities.”

The increase of ICE raids and deportations in Oregon has created an environment of fear in communities throughout the state. Families all over Oregon have been torn apart, children left without fathers, mothers, and grandparents. People are even afraid to go to local shops, hurting small businesses.

“Now more than ever, we must stand together as Oregonians to guard against prejudice and discrimination,” Governor Brown said. “Oregon relies on a diverse workforce to support a growing economy, and we must ensure the civil rights of all Oregonians are protected and that the rule of law is respected.”

HB 3464 serves to strengthen—in line with state and federal laws—our state’s protections by changing the ways that public bodies are authorized to collect and share data with the federal government. It also requires the Attorney General to provide guidance to all public bodies as to how to interact with immigration enforcement activities, and encourages all public bodies to implement the guidance and or update their confidentiality policies.

“We have heard from school administrators, county judges, and other public bodies that they want and need guidance from the state on how to respond if ICE comes asking for information,” says Rep. Hernandez. “HB 3464 provides clarity and consistency for our public bodies, so a school principal knows how they can protect the private information of students and their families. Allies and community members are looking to the legislature to protect our immigrant neighbors from federal overreach.”

HB 3464:

  • Encourages all public bodies to adopt policies, for consistency and clarity statewide, on the collection of information and how to process requests of information by the federal government.

  • Provides guidance from the Attorney General to public bodies on these policies and complying with federal and state law.

“There is a lot of fear right now in our immigrant communities stemming from increasingly aggressive tactics by federal enforcement agencies. This impacts the entire community—families and businesses, schools, hospitals, courthouses, and other public facilities, as everyone struggles to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law. This bill is a way to help make sure our communities have clear guidance so they are in compliance with state and federal law. It is imperative that we take this important step to protect the rights of all Oregonians,” said Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

HB 3464 is expected to be referred to the House Rules Committee and should be scheduled for a public hearing shortly.

 

[To see this news release in pdf version as originally distributed, click here.] 

House bill would increase protections for immigrants

A new bill in the Oregon House would prohibit schools, courts and other public bodies from disclosing personal information such as an address or workplace for the purposes of federal immigration enforcement, except when required by law.

The bill, requested by Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and introduced Thursday by Reps. Teresa Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, and Diego Hernandez, D-Portland, aims to increase privacy and reduce fear in immigrant communities...

Other information the bill would prohibit public bodies from sharing include the time and location of a person's public appointments, the identity of relatives, and telephone numbers. The bill would also prohibit these institutions from requesting information about a person's immigration or citizenship status. If they already have that information, they "may decline to disclose" the status to federal authorities unless required by law or court order, according to the bill.

Under the bill, public bodies in the state would also receive guidance from the attorney general on interacting with Immigration and Custom Enforcement authorities....

Oregon has been a sanctuary state for several decades, meaning the use of state and local resources to enforce federal immigration law, if a person hasn't committed a crime other than being in the country illegally, is prohibited under state law...

"So many people in the community are afraid," said Romeo Sosa, executive director at Voz Workers' Rights Education Project, a Portland-based organization that has advocated for immigration reform. "This would make it easier for immigrants to go about work or college or school, without being afraid."

Sanctuary status has been debated in Tigard, Eugene, and other Oregon cities in recent months, and continues to be a contentious issue.

On the House bill, James Buchal, chairman of the Multnomah County Republican Party, said, "I don't think there's such a great public interest in concealing people's immigration status." He added, "The more layers of operational restrictions that are placed on public agencies, the more their functions get caught up in bureaucracy." Read more about House bill would increase protections for immigrants

Oregon Lawmakers Aim to Increase Protections of Immigrants

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Public bodies in Oregon would be prohibited from disclosing a person's immigration status and details like addresses, except when required by law, under a bill filed Wednesday in the Legislature.

Teresa Alonso Leon, a Democrat from Woodburn, and Diego Hernandez, a Democrat from Portland filed the bill in the House as immigration enforcement increases under President Donald Trump...

....The bill said that, "except as required by state or federal law," a public body may not disclose for the purpose of immigration enforcement, a person's address, workplace or work schedule, school and contact information.

A public body would also be prohibited from inquiring about a person's citizenship or immigration status except when determining benefit eligibility or as required by state or federal law.

Oregon state law and federal laws, however, clash when it comes to immigration.

*Oregon created America's first sanctuary state in 1987 with a law that prevents law enforcement from detaining people who are in the United States illegally but have not broken other laws. In February, Brown signed an executive order that said all state agencies must follow the 1987 statute.

A Republican lawmaker who advocates enforcement of America's immigration laws said the state should comply with federal law.

"If you read federal law, it says not only is it illegal to be in the country without authorization and if you're caught you have to go back, but it is also illegal to harbor someone," Rep. Sal Esquivel, from the southwestern Oregon town of Medford, said in a phone interview....

Esquivel said Brown is "protecting people of illegal status in the state, which is against the law. This is a country of laws and if we don't adhere to the laws we won't have a country left."

Brown said Wednesday that  *"Oregon relies on a diverse workforce to support a growing economy, and we must ensure the civil rights of all Oregonians are protected and that the rule of law is respected."...

He said school administrators, county judges, and other public bodies are seeking guidance from the state on how to respond if ICE asks for information....

"This bill is a way to help make sure our communities have clear guidance so they are in compliance with state and federal law," Rosenblum said...

*Emphasis added Read more about Oregon Lawmakers Aim to Increase Protections of Immigrants

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