illegal aliens

A novel approach to get petition signatures: the drive-through


A group dedicated to overturning a new Oregon law that grants driver-privilege cards to people without conventional documentation has come up with a quick way to gather petition signatures.

It’s encouraging motorists to participate in drive-through democracy.

“You don’t even need to get out of your car,” said Jim Ludwick, the group’s communications director. “Just drive up, sign the petition and drive away.”

From noon to 8 p.m. today, Oregonians for Immigration Reform will set up cones and signs in a parking lot near its billboard at Market Street and Savage Road NE, which is west of Interstate 5 in Salem.

Volunteers will be ready with petitions for motorists to sign as well as supplies for those who want to gather additional signatures among their friends, neighbors and family, Ludwick said.

The group is trying to overturn Oregon Senate Bill 833, which Gov. John Kitzhaber signed into law in May in front of thousands of cheering supporters at the Capitol. The bill authorized driver’s cards for those lacking documents to obtain a regular driver’s license.

OFIR contends that the law gives driver privilege cards to people who are in the country illegally.

Kitzhaber said at the time that SB-833 ensured that thousands of Oregonians could drive to and from work, school, church and errands.

Ludwick said his group needs to collect 58,142 valid signatures to submit to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office by the Oct. 4 deadline.

“We are very optimistic we’ll meet the number,” Ludwick said. “We have had an amazing number (121) of unsolicited requests for these petitions from cities across the state.”

Jan Flowers, a compliance specialist with the elections division of the Secretary of State’s office, said she wasn’t aware of other groups collecting signatures via a drive-up queue, but she said it was a legal signature-gathering technique.

“As long as they witness the signature, it’s no different than if someone walked up and signed,” Flowers said.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform also will staff a booth outside of the southeast corner of the Columbia Exhibit Hall at the Oregon State Fair, which opens today.

Petition drive

What: Drive-through signature gathering
Where: [West of I-5 Exit 256] Market Street and Savage Road NE
When: noon to 8 p.m. today
Why: To qualify ballot measure to overturn Senate Bill 833 Read more about A novel approach to get petition signatures: the drive-through

Rep. Bonamici schedules town halls

 

We encourage you to attend Town Hall meetings in your district and throughout your state.


Your elected officials will be hosting the following events:

Topic: Clatskanie Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/21/2013
Starts: 09:30 AM
Until: 10:30 AM
Where: Clatskanie Middle
High School Gymnasium
471 SW Bel Air Drive
Clatskanie, OR 97016

Topic: Astoria Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/21/2013
Starts: 11:30 AM
Until: 12:30 PM
Where: Astoria Public Library
Flag Room
450 10th Street
Astoria, OR 97103

Topic: Tualatin Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/22/2013
Starts: 01:30 PM
Until: 02:30 PM
Where: Tualatin Public Library
Community Room
18878 SW Martinazzi Ave
Tualatin, OR 97062

Topic: Hillsboro Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/22/2013
Starts: 03:30 PM
Until: 04:30 PM
Where: Hillsboro Civic Center
C117 Auditorium
150 E. Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123

Topic: Banks Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/28/2013
Starts: 11:00 AM
Until: 12:00 PM
Where: Banks Fire Station
Training Room
300 S Main Street
Banks, OR 97106

Topic: Yamhill Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/28/2013
Starts: 01:00 PM
Until: 02:00 PM
Where: Yamhill-Carlton High School
Gymnasium
120 North Larch Place
Yamhill, OR 97148

Topic: Beaverton Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/29/2013
Starts: 12:00 PM
Until: 01:00 PM
Where: Beaverton Interpretive Center
Beaver Den Room, Nature Park Interpretive Center
15655 SW Millikan Way
Beaverton, OR 97006

Topic: Sauvie Island Town Hall Meeting
Official: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st)
When: 09/29/2013
Starts: 02:00 PM
Until: 03:00 PM
Where: Sauvie Island Academy Gym
14445 NW Charlton Road
Portland, OR 97231

We urge you to attend the upcoming Town Hall meeting to share your concerns about the Senate "Gang of Eight" amnesty bill.

Click here for helpful resources to help you lobby your Senator about this bill.

Please call your elected official's district office to verify the date/location of the Town Hall event. We use our best efforts to obtain reliable information, but schedules change frequently.

We all know that politicians are famous for talking one way at home, and then voting another way when they get back to Washington, D.C. We'd love to hear about the meetings that you attend and we would appreciate any feedback that you could give us.

Please forward this message to your family and friends.
 

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Oregon immigrant driver’s license law opponents get creative

Faced with collecting 58,000 signatures by Oct. 4, opponents of a new Oregon law that gives driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants and others who cannot prove they are living here legally are sharpening their tactics.

From a drive-through petition drive on Friday to a booth at the Oregon State Fair through Sept. 2, advocates are seeking the thousands of valid signatures needed for a referendum that would challenge a new state law that gives “driver privilege cards” to those who do not have the documents required to get a driver’s license. The driver’s card will be restricted from being used for identification or voting.

But advocates with Oregonians for Immigration Reform say the new law, which goes into effect in January, is a way for people living here illegally to get a driver’s license.

Jim Ludwick, communications director for the group, also said despite the restriction, he believes the cards will be used for identification and put into the hands of criminals.

Ludwick wouldn’t say how many signatures the group has collected so far. State law requires them to get more than 58,000 valid signatures within 90 days of the end of the legislative session (July 8) to get to referendum, which would let voters decide if the driver’s cards should be handed out, on the November 2014 ballot.

Ludwick said he’s confident they can do it.

“We have people who come see us and before I can say a word they grab the pen out of my hand and they want to sign,” he said.

State Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, is expected to make an appearance at the Oregon State Fair booth on Friday. Esquivel was a strong opponent of the legislation, Senate Bill 833, when it made its way through the Legislature.

Gov. John Kitzhaber pushed for the bill and signed it with fanfare on May Day.

Contact Shelby Sebens at Shelby@NorthwestWatchdog.org

Photo Gallery
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Tigard police arrest nine in prostitute sting


Tigard police arrested nine men in a prostitution sting Thursday.

The Criminal Investigations Unit placed online advertisements for paid sex earlier this month and undercover officers answered responses electronically and by phone, said Captain Robert Rogers.

Read the full article.
  Read more about Tigard police arrest nine in prostitute sting

Woodburn man sentenced to 18 years after fatal Polk County crash in January

A Woodburn man is now in the Department of Corrections after being sentenced to 18 years for a Polk County car crash in January that killed one man and injured three others.

Marcos Antonio-Luz, 42, was admitted to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility on Aug. 20 after he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, three counts of assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants. He was sentenced Aug. 5 in Polk County Circuit Court.

An indictment against Antonio-Luz included 10 charges but a plea agreement with the Polk County District Attorney led to five of them being dropped.

The three-vehicle crash on Jan. 19 took place on Highway 22 south of Highway 18. It resulted in the death of Clifford Fagaly, 69, of Silverton. His wife and passenger, Kerttu Fagaly, 85, of Silverton, was critically injured and taken to Salem Hospital.

Lt. Gregg Hastings of Oregon State Police said that around 6:30 p.m. a westbound 2003 Ford van crossed the center line and collided with an eastbound 2000 Toyota four-door driven by Fagaly. The Toyota came to rest in a ditch and the van stopped in the westbound lane, where it was hit by a westbound Dodge pickup and skidded off the highway.

Antonio-Luz was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the pickup, Lonny Bryant, 51, and passenger Ruthann Bryant, 49, both of Willamina, had minor injuries.

Deputy district attorney Keir Boettcher said there were a multitude of reasons to go with the plea agreement – the first being judicial economy.

“There was a lot of evidence in favor of the state,” Boettcher said.

The case was less of an issue of guilty versus not guilty, and more about what the appropriate sentence would be, he said.

The victims were another consideration. Boettcher said victims and their family members were present throughout the case, some traveling from as far as Missouri.

Marcos Antonio-Luz - ICE hold Read more about Woodburn man sentenced to 18 years after fatal Polk County crash in January

Salem Police arrest five in prostitution sting


The Salem Police Department Street Crimes Unit arrested five suspects during a prostitution sting operation conducted on the evening of August 29.

Street Crimes Detectives worked with undercover officers to establish contact with both prostitutes and "Johns" via the Internet site "Backpage.com" then arrested the suspects when they arrived at designated locations.

Arrested in the sting operation were:
29-year old Andrew J Fitzpatrick of Monmouth. Charged with Prostitution and Delivery of Marijuana
37-year old Alison E Hall of Portland. Charged with Prostitution
59-year old Jeremy T Davis of Salem. Charged with Prostitution
51-year old Patrick J Duda of Salem. Charged with Prostitution
29-year old Ismael Mendez of Salem. Charged with Prostitution

Salem Deputy Police Chief James Ferraris, who commands the Investigations Division of the Salem Police Department, stated that "Prostitution and crimes associated with prostitution affect every part of our community. We will continue to be proactive in combating this issue and make our community an unwelcome place for those who partake in these activities." Prostitution exploits a vulnerable part of our society and is also frequently linked to human trafficking, which is becoming more frequent throughout our communities. Women, juveniles and undocumented individuals are being victimized by human traffickers for forced labor as well as for sexual exploitation. Victims of human trafficking often feel as though they have no alternative but to obey those who take advantage of them.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking is urged to contact your local law enforcement agency. Victims of human trafficking can also contact their local Women's Crisis Center for assistance with safety and shelter. The Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service can be reached at their 24-hour crisis line at 503-399-7722.

Prostitution related crimes often utilize the Internet to facilitate activities. Parents should watch for unfamiliar Internet site names on their computer browser histories and further investigate those sites as a way to monitor the computer activities of their children.
 

Ismael Mendez - ICE hold
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Immigration bill hurts jobless


Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, joining the Gang of Eight in the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable legislation considering the nation’s June seasonally adjusted number of 12.2 million unemployed citizens; 7.6 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to a 2011 report, Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population: National and State Trends, 2010 there are 8 million unauthorized workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of Senate Bill 744 are reveled in a June 2013 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

In July, an evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals unemployment rates in the states represented by the Gang of Eight plus their two Oregonian senatorial sidekicks: Oregon 7.9 percent; Arizona 8.0 percent; Colorado 7.0 percent; Florida 7.1 percent; Illinois 9.2 percent; New Jersey 8.7 percent; New York 7.5 percent; and South Carolina 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding eight states had higher unemployment numbers than the national average.

During the five week summer congressional recess, if Senators Merkley and Wyden choose to return to Oregon, the Senators should take a look at the number of unemployed in the state and unemployment numbers of the individual counties they choose visit across the state.

In Oregon there were 158,147 citizens unemployed in June; the state ranked 16th in 50 states for the percentage of unemployed.

Locally, Marion County’s 13,504 unemployed in June equated to 8.5 percent of the county’s work force; 8.5 percent of the state’s unemployed.

Including Marion, 24 of 36 Oregon counties in June had a higher unemployment rate than the national average of 7.6 percent; 11 of the counties had double-digit unemployment.

If SB 744 is passed by both sides of Congress and signed into law by the president, the addition of 110,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force will likely increase unemployment in Oregon; a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

Hopefully for the unemployed of this state and across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives, which faces the nation’s voters every two years, will take a more incremental approach to any type of immigration reform and first pass stand alone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

Oregon’s 158,147 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact during the congressional recess Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Congressman Kurt Schrader, and tell the senators and congressman, Oregonians should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegal present in the country; furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is the best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to full-time work.

(David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues. He can reached at docfnc@yahoo.com.) Read more about Immigration bill hurts jobless

Group tries 'drive-thru democracy' to get driver cards on the ballot

SALEM, Ore. – A group trying to gather enough signatures in an effort to put the new driver card law on the November 2014 ballot before it begins is using a cue from fast-food restaurants.

The driver cards will allow people to drive who can't prove U.S. citizenship.

The group, Oregonians for Immigration Reform, hoped that Friday's "drive-thru democracy" would make it convenient for voters to sign their petition, because they need a lot of signatures – more than 58,000 by Oct. 4.

So on Friday, not far off Interstate 5, several volunteers brought petition sheets to the drivers and passengers as they pulled into a parking lot at Market Street and Savage Road.

"Our main concern is that our government's role is not and should not be to reward illegal behavior," said Cynthia Kendoll of Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

When Gov. John Kitzhaber signed Senate Bill 833 into law in May, supporters called it the biggest victory for immigrant rights in the state.

Luis Guerra of Causa, an immigrant rights organization in Oregon, said he disagrees with the notion that the new law rewards illegal behavior.

"I think it's a public safety issue," he said. "We should make sure that everyone that's behind the wheel, of any vehicles in the state of Oregon, knows the rules of the road."

The "drive-through" signature-gathering effort will continue until 8 p.m. Friday.

Leaders of the effort won't say how many signatures they have so far, but said they hope to collect about 500 Friday night.

If opponents of the new law fail to get the required number of signatures, the new law starts Jan. 1, 2014.

The driver card allows people to drive legally in Oregon as long as they can prove they've lived here for a year, and they pass the driver tests.

It's legal ID for opening a bank account, car insurance, or a gym membership. it is not legal ID for boarding a plane, registering to vote, or buying a gun.

Driver card holders also cannot drive big, commercial trucks. Read more about Group tries 'drive-thru democracy' to get driver cards on the ballot

Family friend gets 10 years for molesting 5-year-old Molalla girl

He was a trusted family friend. The kind you always invite over for the holidays or extend a helping hand to without a second thought.

But this summer, a Molalla family found Ezequiel Salas-Gonzalez committed a terrible breach of faith. He molested the 5-year-old daughter of a couple he had known for years.

Read the complete article.
 


  Read more about Family friend gets 10 years for molesting 5-year-old Molalla girl

A novel approach to get petition signatures: the drive-through

Alert date: 
August 23, 2013
Alert body: 

A group dedicated to overturning a new Oregon law that grants driver-privilege cards to people without conventional documentation has come up with a quick way to gather petition signatures.

It’s encouraging motorists to participate in drive-through democracy.

“You don’t even need to get out of your car,” said Jim Ludwick, the group’s communications director. “Just drive up, sign the petition and drive away.”

Read the entire article.

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