Oregon

Oregon Department of Corrections: Criminal Alien Report December 2016

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) December 1, 2016 Inmate Population Profile
indicated there were 14,717 inmates incarcerated in the DOC’s 14 prisons.

Data obtained from the DOC indicated that on December 1st there were 957 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) incarcerated in the state’s prison system; more than one in every sixteen prisoners incarcerated by the state was a criminal alien, 6.50 percent of the total prison population.

Some background information, all 957 criminal aliens currently incarcerated in the DOC prison system were identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. If an inmate is identified by ICE as being a criminal alien, at the federal law enforcement agency’s request, DOC officials will place an “ICE detainer” on the inmate. After the inmate completes his/her state sanction, prison officials will transfer custody of the inmate to ICE.

Using DOC Inmate Population Profiles and ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the total number inmates, the number of domestic and criminal alien inmates along with the percentage of them with ICE detainers incarcerated on December 1st in the state’s prisons.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Month/Day/Year

DOC Total Inmates

DOC Domestic Inmates

DOC Inmates W/ICE detainers

DOC % Inmates W/ICE detainers

December 1, 2016

14,717

13,760

957

6.50

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 16 and Inmate Population Profile 01 December 16.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of criminal alien prisoners incarcerated on December 1st that were sent to prison from the state’s 36 counties.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

County

DOC Total Inmates W/ ICE Detainers

DOC % Inmates W/ICE Detainers

Marion

227

23.72%

Multnomah

206

21.53%

Washington

189

19.75%

Clackamas

75

7.84%

Lane

50

5.22%

Jackson

36

3.76%

Yamhill

22

2.30%

Umatilla

21

2.19%

Linn

16

1.67%

Polk

15

1.57%

Klamath

14

1.46%

Benton

13

1.36%

Malheur

12

1.25%

Deschutes

10

1.04%

Lincoln

8

0.84%

Jefferson

6

0.63%

Clatsop

5

0.52%

Coos

5

0.52%

Douglas

4

0.42%

Josephine

4

0.42%

Crook

3

0.31%

Tillamook

3

0.31%

Wasco

3

0.31%

Hood River

2

0.21%

Morrow

2

0.21%

Union

2

0.21%

Columbia

1

0.10%

Gilliam

1

0.10%

Lake

1

0.10%

OOS

1

0.10%

Baker

0

0.00%

Curry

0

0.00%

Grant

0

0.00%

Harney

0

0.00%

Sherman

0

0.00%

Wallowa

0

0.00%

Wheeler

0

0.00%

Total

957

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 16.

Here are the ways Oregon residents were victimized by the 957 criminal aliens.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of criminal alien prisoners incarcerated on December 1st by type of crime.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

DOC Total Inmates W/ ICE Detainers

DOC % Inmates W/ICE Detainers

Sex Abuse

184

19.23%

Rape

171

17.87%

Homicide

136

14.21%

Drugs

113

11.81%

Sodomy

94

9.82%

Assault

78

8.15%

Robbery

54

5.64%

Kidnapping

25

2.61%

Theft

23

2.40%

Burglary

20

2.09%

Driving Offense

9

0.94%

Vehicle Theft

5

0.52%

Arson

0

0.00%

Forgery

0

0.00%

Escape

0

0.00%

Other / Combination

45

4.70%

Total

957

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 16.

Using the DOC Inmate Population Profile and ICE detainer numbers from December 1st, the following table reveals the total number inmates by crime type, the number of domestic and criminal alien prisoners incarcerated by type of crime and the percentage of those crimes committed by criminal aliens.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Crime

DOC Total Inmates

DOC Domestic Inmates

DOC Inmates W/ICE Detainers

DOC % All Inmates W/ICE Detainers

Sex Abuse

1,771

1,587

184

10.39%

Rape

977

806

171

17.50%

Homicide

1,672

1,536

136

8.13%

Drugs

900

787

113

12.56%

Sodomy

1,026

932

94

9.16%

Assault

1,965

1,887

78

3.97%

Robbery

1,536

1.482

54

3.52%

Kidnapping

289

264

25

8.65%

Burglary

1,333

1,310

23

1.73%

Theft

1,142

1,122

20

1.75%

Driving Offense

251

242

9

3.59%

Vehicle Theft

447

442

5

1.12%

Arson

75

75

0

0.00%

Forgery

43

43

0

0.00%

Escape

39

39

0

0.00%

Other / Combination

1,251

1,206

45

3.60%

Total

14,717

13,760

957

 

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 16 and Inmate Population Profile 01 December 16.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the 957 criminal alien prisoners by number and percentage incarcerated on December 1st in the state’s prisons.
 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Country

DOC Total Inmates W/ ICE Detainers

DOC % Inmates W/ICE Detainers

Mexico

767

80.15%

Guatemala

19

1.99%

Cuba

15

1.57%

El Salvador

14

1.46%

Vietnam

13

1.36%

Honduras

12

1.25%

Ukraine

10

1.04%

Russia

9

0.94%

Federated States of Micronesia

6

0.63%

Cambodia

4

0.42%

Canada

4

0.42%

Laos

4

0.42%

Marshall Islands

4

0.42%

Philippines

4

0.42%

Other Countries

72

7.52%

Total

957

100.00%

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 16.

Beyond the DOC criminal alien incarceration numbers and incarceration percentages, per county and per crime type, or even country of origin, criminal aliens pose high economic cost on Oregonians.

An individual prisoner incarcerated in the DOC prison system costs the state approximately ($94.55) per day.

The DOC’s incarceration cost for its 957 criminal alien prison population is approximately ($90,484.35) per day, ($633,390.45) per week, and ($33,026,787.75) per year.

Even taking into account fiscal year 2016 U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) award of $1,788,075.00, if the State of Oregon receives the same amount of SCAAP funding for fiscal year 2017, the cost to incarcerate 957 criminal aliens to the DOC will be at least ($31,238,712.75).

None of preceding cost estimates for the DOC to incarcerate the 957 criminal aliens includes the dollar amount for legal services (indigent defense), language interpreters, court costs, or victim assistance.

Bibliography

Oregon Department of Corrections Population Profile December 1, 2016:
http://www.oregon.gov/doc/RESRCH/docs/inmate_profile_201612.pdf

Oregon Department of Corrections Population Profile (unpublished MS Excel workbook) titled Incarcerated Criminal Aliens Report dated December 1, 2016.

Oregon Department of Corrections Issue Brief Quick Facts 53-DOC/GECO: 3/23/16:
http://www.oregon.gov/doc/OC/docs/pdf/IB-53-Quick%20Facts.pdf

U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), 2016 SCAAP award: https://www.bja.gov/funding/FY2016-SCAAP-Award-C.PDF Read more about Oregon Department of Corrections: Criminal Alien Report December 2016

Oregon activists react to Trump's executive orders

Opponents of President Trump's executive orders concerning immigrants and refugees plan to rally at the Oregon State Capitol on Wednesday.

"We will demand that the Governor and the State Legislature take immediate actions to defend and protect immigrants and refugees in Oregon," said rally organizers from Voz Hispana, an immigrants rights organization. "Oregon will not become a cog in the Trump deportation machine."

Last Friday, President Trump suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days, banned all immigrants from seven Muslim countries — Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Libya — for 90 days, and ordered his administration to develop "extreme vetting" measures for immigrants from those countries to keep "radical Islamic terrorists" out of the United States, as reported by USA Today.

A protest against the orders was held at the Portland International Airport Sunday.

Steve and Cindy Spinnett went with signs reading, "Thank you, President Trump."

"We wanted to be an encouragement to President Trump for keeping his promises to the American people," Steve said.

At first, Steve said he and his wife ran into resistance from some protesters, but as they spoke to them, they found common ground.

"We told them they were sincere and we're glad to see them out there expressing their beliefs," he said. "We then warmed up to each other. We agreed that loving one another was more important than our disagreements politically."

Doug and Anya Holcomb, founders of Salem for Refugees, said they are going to continue to provide services for locals impacted by the actions.

"In the coming days, our focus will be on caring for the refugees who are already in Salem, advocating for the 65.3 million people across the globe who have been forced to flee their homes, educating our community about the global refugee crisis, and preparing our city to welcome the refugees who will be coming when resettlement begins again," the two activists said in a statement.

According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, more than 64,000 refugees have resettled in Oregon since 1975. Most of these refugees initially settle in the greater Portland metro area.

Currently, the most common refugee groups arriving in Oregon are from, Cuba, Burma, Bhutan, Iran, Iraq, and Somalia.

As for immigrants, Oregon is home to more than 391,000 immigrants, making about 10 percent of all Oregonians "foreign-born."

More than 11 million immigrants are estimated to be living in the United States illegally, according to the PEW Research Center and Migration Policy Institute.

By comparison, in 2014, around 47 percent, or 20 million, of all U.S. immigrants were naturalized U.S. citizens. The remaining 53 percent, or 22.4 million, included lawful permanent residents, unauthorized immigrants, and legal residents on temporary visas, such as students and temporary workers.

Jim Ludwick, communications director for Oregonians for Immigration Reform, said the organization saw the president's actions as a hopeful sign of Trump keeping his promises.

"We were hopeful that President Trump will come out and build the wall, and we think he will," he said.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform, Ludwick said, is not against all immigration; rather, it is in favor of stricter background checks and a lower volume of people brought in each year.

"We need to make sure the people who come in are the people they say they are," he said.

Aside from violent attacks, he said the country isn't able to sustain much more than 230,000 legal immigrants a year.

"We aren't able to sustain (the number of people now), environmentally, socially, financially or politically," he said.

He said multiple U.S. Presidents in the past, including Carter and Clinton, placed travel and immigration bans on certain areas.

"This is not a new thing — there are just new players," he said.

Contact Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745, or follow her on Twitter @Nataliempate and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist

Rally at the Capitol

Voz Hispana, an immigrants rights organization, is a hosting rally on the front steps of the Oregon State Capitol.

Where: Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m.

"Welcoming Our New Neighbors" meeting

The “Welcoming Our New Neighbors” meetings discuss ways to assist incoming refugees in the Salem area. The events are organized by Catholic Charities, Salem for Refugees and the Salem Leadership Foundation, among others.

Where: Salem Alliance Church, 555 Gaines St NE
When: Monday, Feb. 6 at 12 p.m.

Event at Willamette Heritage Center

Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie, director of Refugee Resettlement for Catholic Charities of Oregon, will discuss both the state and national refugee programs and their challenges in 2017.

She will be joined by Doug and Anya Holcomb, co-directors of Salem for Refugees, and a representative of the refugee population, to explain the Salem-area program to members of the Salem City Club and the public on Feb. 3.

Where: Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE
When: Friday, Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $15 per person Read more about Oregon activists react to Trump's executive orders

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury Tells President Trump: “We Will Stand Up to Bullying”

Officials across the Portland region—including Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese—pledged to defy President Donald Trump's pressure to hold undocumented immigrants for deportation.

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury said Trump's executive order to remove federal funds from so-called "sanctuary cities" won't cause the county to yield.

"Federal funding is important," Kafoury said in a press conference today. "But we will stand up to bullying."...

(That was always unlikely. As WW reported this morning, to change the existing policy in Multnomah County would defy a U.S. District Court ruling from 2014. In that case, the judge ruled that Clackamas County had violated a woman's constitutional rights by holding her at ICE's request.)...

"People need to feel safe," Reese said. "We need to nurture a relationship to trust."

Reese and Kafoury were joined by County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, and groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, Causa, SEIU Local 49, Our Oregon, and students from Portland Community College.

"I am here to tell you today that we are not going to turn our back on the most vulnerable members of our community because Donald Trump is threatening us," said Vega Pederson...

Matt De Santos of the ACLU of Oregon declared intentions to sue the White House... Read more about Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury Tells President Trump: “We Will Stand Up to Bullying”

Trump immigration orders force Oregon officials to revisit laws

Local agencies are analyzing President Donald Trump's executive orders that halt federal funding to sanctuary cities and allows law enforcement to perform the functions of immigration officers.

In one executive order , Trump states the federal government has failed in maintaining a federal and state partnership to enforce immigration laws.

The order requires all executive departments and agencies to "employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws in the United States."

The new policy empowers state and local law enforcement agencies to perform the functions of an immigration officer "to the maximum extent permitted by law."

Jerry Moore, Chief of Police for the city of Salem, said the order doesn't change the way Salem Police Department will operate.

"There is a state law that says we don’t enforce immigration laws and that’s how we’ve done business for as long as we can remember," Moore said. "This executive order doesn't really change that, so unless someone tells me that it has precedence over state law - it's business as usual for us."

Moore refers to Oregon Revised Statute 181.850, which discusses enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The statute states law enforcement agencies may not use agency money, equipment or personnel to detect or apprehend people who are only violating federal immigration laws by being foreign citizens in the United States.

Gretchen Bennett, human rights and relations federal compliance coordinator at the city of Salem, said city law enforcement follows the state practice in order to ensure people are not afraid to reach out to law enforcement for emergency help.

Bennett, who said she was speaking on behalf for Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett , said the city is analyzing Trump's executive orders to understand what, if any, potential policy changes are born from the actions.

"We’re in the midst of analyzing it and we’ve been talking with communities and learning about questions and concerns about fears that folks have about this," Bennett said.

Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton said Oregon law enforcement officers do follow protocol in the event they arrest an undocumented immigrant for a crime.

Upon an arrest, officers take fingerprints and send the prints through the National Crime Information Center, or NCIC, a division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The center compares the prints with any other people who have been arrested in the national system.

If the prints return with information stating the person is an undocumented immigrant and is a criminal in other country, officers are required to contact the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE.

Garton said arresting deputies connect with ICE agents and ask if they would like a hold on the suspect. If ICE requests a hold, a law enforcement agency holds the suspect until they can be released to federal agents.

If ICE is not interested in holding the suspect, Garton said the law enforcement agency still lodges them on local charges.

"So does this order really affect what we do on a daily basis? I don't think so." Garton said. "We do our jobs and follow the laws as they are in place."

Trump's order also calls for a cease of funding to sanctuary cities that refuse to comply with federal law.

"These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic," Trump's order reads. "Tens of thousands of removable aliens have been released into communities across the country, solely because their home countries refuse to accept their repatriation."

Trump also plans on terminating the Priority Enforcement Program, or PEP, in order to reinstitute the "Secure Communities Program." The program was administered by ICE from 2008 to 2014 and resulted in the deportation of more than 166,000 undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes. 

The order includes a call to build a wall on the United States and Mexico border and the federal government to hire an additional 5,000 Border Patrol officers and 10,000 more ICE agents, asylum officers and immigration judges. 

"Continued illegal immigration presents a clear and present danger to the interests of the United States," Trump said.

While Marion and Polk counties have not formally established themselves as sanctuary cities, officials from both counties will continue following Oregon law and closely assess Trump's orders and subsequent actions.

Jolene Kelley, public information officer for the Marion County Board of Commissioner's Office, said there is no formal definition of "sanctuary city," and the county has not made any formal action to determine that status.

"I think that everybody is watching the federal government to see what happens and see how it may, or could, affect programs," Kelley said.

Regions that have adopted that sanctuary moniker and refuse to comply with federal law face a cut in federal funding.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler released a statement in response to Trump's executive order and stood by his city's status as being a sanctuary city.

"We will not be complicit in the deportation of our neighbor," Wheeler said. "We are a city built on immigration."

Cities for Action , a collaborative of mayors throughout the United States who aim to create an inclusive environment for immigrants, released a joint statement in response to Trump's order as well.

"Today’s executive orders do not change who we are or how we govern our cities, and we will fight against attempts to undermine our values and the security of our cities," the statement reads.

Mat dos Santos, legal director of the ACLU of Oregon , said the civil liberties organization called Trump's order "dangerous."

"Locking up asylum seekers that pose no danger or flight risk is unconstitutional and really benefits nobody," dos Santos said.

Trump's order states the secretary of Homeland Security will publish a comprehensive list of "criminal actions" by undocumented immigrants and any jurisdiction that fails to detain undocumented immigrants in a weekly "Declined Detainer Outcome Report."

"I think Trump hopes that local officials will buckle under the threats of stripping of federal funding, but (sanctuary cities) been working with local organizations to protect immigrant communities," dos Santos said.

As local and state government agencies across the nation delve into the executive orders to determine potential outcomes for their respective agencies, dos Santos said he knows one thing for sure.

"We'll see Trump in court," dos Santos said.

Governor Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum were unavailable for comment at the time of publication. Read more about Trump immigration orders force Oregon officials to revisit laws

Arrest Made In Death Of Marion County Deputy Kelly Fredinburg Nearly A Decade Later

On January 20, 2017, it was learned that Alfredo De JESUS ASCENCIO, age 29, was arrested in the Mexican state of Puebla on an arrest warrant for the death of Marion County Deputy Kelly Fredinburg and another man in June of 2007.

On June 16, 2007 Deputy Fredinburg was enroute to an emergency call southbound on Highway 99E north of Gervais when his patrol car was struck head-on by a northbound vehicle driven by Alfredo De JESUS ASCENCIO. Deputy Fredinburg's patrol car caught fire and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Deputy Fredinburg joined the Marion County Sheriff's Office in August 2006 after working the previous six years for the Polk County Sheriff's Office. He was 33 years old when he died.

De JESUS ASCENCIO, who was 20 years of age at the time of the crash, was treated for critical injuries at a Portland-area hospital. De JESUS ASCENCIO had two passengers one of which died the next day at a Portland area hospital. He was identified as nineteen year old Oscar ASCENCIO AMAYA.

Oregon State Police investigated the crash and received an indictment on August 3rd, 2007 for two counts of Criminally Negligent Homicide on De JESUS ASCENCIO. It was learned he fled the US to Mexico to avoid prosecution around the time of the indictment.

De JESUS ASCENCIO was believed to be hiding in Mexico and there was no chance of him being returned to the US due to the limitations in the extradition treaty. In 2010 Oregon prosecutors sought an Article 4 prosecution which allows certain crimes committed in the US to be prosecuted by the Mexican judicial system.

In 2010, OSP investigators traveled to Mexico and filed the Article 4 paperwork in front of the Procurador General de la República (PGR), which is the equivalent of the Attorney General's Office in the US, and presented them with all police reports translated into Spanish. The case went to a Mexican federal judge for review. In 2011, OSP learned that the judge had approved the Article 4 paperwork and a warrant was issue for De JESUS ASCENCIO's arrest. Since that time, OSP, the Marion County District Attorney's Office, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and FBI have collaborated in efforts in locating De JESUS ASCENCIO.

Interpol, in coordination with FBI agents working in Mexico and in Salem, determined De JESUS ASCENCIO's location. On January 20, 2017, Interpol confirmed the arrest to the FBI. He is currently being held in custody while the Article 4 process continues.

Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers commented today saying, "It has been nearly 10 years since the tragic loss of Deputy Kelly Fredinburg. While no one has ever given up hope that the individual responsible for this tragedy would be apprehended, it has been an emotional, trying and difficult journey to reach this point. I would like to thank the Marion County District Attorney's Office and the Oregon State Police for their tenacity with this investigation. I also express my heartfelt condolences to the Fredinburg family, as this capture may bring relief, but also a renewed sense of loss. My sincere hope is for justice and healing as this case proceeds ahead."

This is a preliminary release. More information will be released as it becomes available. Read more about Arrest Made In Death Of Marion County Deputy Kelly Fredinburg Nearly A Decade Later

Medford and Grants Pass residents - Jan. 25th Townhall meeting

Alert date: 
January 19, 2017
Alert body: 

State Representative

Duane Stark

House District 4

 


State Representative

Sal Esquivel

House District 6

News Release:  January 19, 2015

Contact:
Dawn Phillips-Rep Stark’s Office: 503.750.1764

Southern Oregon Legislators Host Town Hall January 25th in Eagle Point

(Salem)  Two Southern Oregon lawmakers will hold a Legislative Town Hall Wednesday January 25th in Eagle Point to preview some of the issues expected to be debated during the upcoming 2017 Session at the State Capitol in Salem.

The Town Hall starts at 6 pm on January 25th and is co-sponsored by State Representative Duane Stark (R-Grants Pass) and State Representative Sal Esquivel (R-Medford). Local residents are invited to attend the event which will be held at Eagle Point City Hall, 17 South Buchanan Avenue in Eagle Point.


“It’s important for us to touch bases with citizens in Southern Oregon before the legislative session gets underway this year,” said Representative Stark. “I wish we could host events like this in every corner of both of our legislative districts. Given the time constraints, we selected a location between both districts so we could have an opportunity to talk to people about the things that matter most in their lives.”

 

“There will be some significant challenges this time around,” said Representative Esquivel. “The state budget is going to mean some tough choices on critical issues such as human services, public safety, education, and others. There simply aren’t enough funds to go around for every program that folks want to see funded.”

 

For those who can’t make it to the Town Hall they can reach the legislators using the contact information below:

 

State Representative Duane Stark:

Rep.DuaneStark@oregonlegislature.gov
503.986.1404

 

State Representative Sal Esquivel
Rep.SalEsquivel@oregonlegislature.gov

503.986.1406

 

###

 

900 Court Street NE Salem, OR 97301   ¨   www.oregonlegislature.gov  

 

 


 

Council postpones sanctuary city vote

A long line of public speakers gave testimonials for why the designation is needed

The Hillsboro City Council has decided to stall a decision on whether to declare itself a sanctuary city until after the new mayor and councilors get sworn in.

In a standing-room-only Civic Center auditorium Tuesday night, council members could not reach a decision whether to designate the city a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

The decision would have been the last of outgoing City Councilor Olga Acuna, who requested the vote after advocates begged the city to strengthen its stand with the Latino community last month.

In what was likely the council's most difficult decision in eight years, the council voted to table a final decision until after a new councilor is appointed to fill the seat of new Mayor Steve Callaway, who served as council president.

The city is expected to appoint a replacement on the council within the next month.

Tuesday's vote was 4-2, with councilors Acuna and Kyle Allen in favor of going forward with the sanctuary city designation.

"I'm as concerned about the future as anyone," explained Councilor Rick Van Beveren, who noted his personal regret at how the recent presidential campaign rhetoric has engendered the national Latino population. "(But) I personally align with what sanctuary city portends … (and) once we're labeled, that's it."

Callaway, who was sworn in as mayor during Tuesday's meeting, said that the postponement will allow the new council — which will oversee and adhere to the decision — time to understand what a sanctuary designation will mean for Hillsboro going forward.

The decision to wait will also gives the city time to see how the federal government responds to the many cities who have made similar declarations, Callaway said. President-Elect Donald Trump has said that he would cut off federal funding for cities that declare themselves to be sanctuaries.

"Sanctuary city" is a legally non-binding term used by cities to indicate they will protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Oregon has had sanctuary laws in place since the 1980s, which forbid police from arresting people solely on their immigration status.

The topic of making Hillsboro a sanctuary city first arose in December, when members from community action groups WashCo Solidarity and Voz Hispana Cambio Comunitario demanded the council declare the city a sanctuary in order to send a message to Latino residents that they will be protected, specifically from immigration officials.

Instead, that night the council read a statement affirming its commitment to keeping Hillsboro "a safe city for all" — without formally declaring itself a sanctuary.

That decision didn't sit well with sanctuary proponents. On Tuesday, more than 20 people spoke out, offering testimonials to the council as to why the designation is needed.

"The community wouldn't be asking for sanctuary if the city was safe already," Unite Oregon member Carmen Madrid told the council.

That sentiment was echoed by many in the crowd. One woman said she had lived in the city for 15 years, but no longer felt safe.

"You're either for us or against us," another speaker said.

Resident Jose Jaime told the council that stalling the decision was sending a message of its own to Hillsboro's Latino population, which make up about a quarter of the city's population, according to the U.S. Census.

"You threw the Latino community under the bus (with the vote to table)," he said.

Not everyone in the audience was in favor of the proposal, however. Some spoke out against accepting illegal immigration as standard practice.

One speaker said he was against the sanctuary designation because "the people who are afraid are breaking the law."

"If the council vindicates (the law breakers), you'll be breaking the oath you just took," he told the council.

The council is expected to vote on the issue in February. The city is currently accepting applications to fill the council's open seat. Read more about Council postpones sanctuary city vote

Deputy Kelly Fredinburg's alleged killer still on the loose

Oregonians are approaching the 9th anniversary of the tragic death of Deputy Kelly Fredinburg in a fiery head-on crash north of Gervais June 16, 2007.  The driver of the car crossed the center line, killed Fredninburg and a passenger in his own car, who died a day after the crash.

Before he was indicted for his crimes, the driver fled to Mexico and to this day remains a fugitive.  Below is a story from The Oregonian from 2014.

-------------------------

Suspect in 2007 crash that killed Marion County deputy remains at large, police say

The driver who police believe killed a Marion County deputy and another man in a late-night crash in 2007 remains a fugitive, authorities said.

Tips leading to the arrest of Alfredo De Jesus Ascensio are eligible for a reward of up to $21,000, according to a press release from Marion County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Kelly Fredinburg, 33, was killed when Ascensio's vehicle crossed the center line on Oregon 99E north of Gervais, according to police at the time. Fredinburg's car caught fire and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

De Jesus Ascensio is wanted on two counts of criminally negligent homicide in connection with Fredinburg's death and Ascensio's 19-year old passenger Oscar Ascensio Amaya, who died the day after the crash.

De Jesus Ascensio was also hospitalized. Authorities believe he fled to Mexico around the time he was indicted.

The Fredinburg family helped create an Oregon Officer Reward Fund for arrests in criminal investigations of injury or death to police in the line of duty, the sheriff's office said. A reward of $20,000, along with another $1,000 offered by Crime Stoppers, is available for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

"I think about Kelly and his family quite often and reflect upon the sacrifice they have made," Sheriff Jason Myers said in a press release. "While nothing will replace the loss of Kelly, finding Alfredo DeJesus Ascencio and holding him accountable for his actions will bring some closure to this tragedy."

De Jesus Ascensio was 20 years of age at the time of the crash, was last believed to be in the area of Puacuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.

Anyone with information related to this investigation to find the suspect can report tips by calling 800-452-7888 in Oregon; or 1-503-823-HELP (4357) from anywhere in the United States. Callers from Mexico can call the Crime Stoppers Tip line, +011-503-823-4357. Tipsters should refer to case number is 07-28 and provide as much detail as possible, authorities said. Read more about Deputy Kelly Fredinburg's alleged killer still on the loose

Did you miss Saturday's OFIR meeting?

OFIR hosted their quarterly meeting Saturday afternoon, May 7th.  If you were unable to attend, you missed a packed house and a great meeting!

Dr. Bud Pierce, GOP candidate for Governor was the featured speaker.  Several other candidates also dropped in to introduce themselves to our members and guests.

Oregon's new representative for the Remembrance Project gave a presentation about the national organization.

Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project was there to explain the questionnaire they send to all candidates.

David Olen Cross explained how important your words are - in print!  He encouraged members to write letters to the editor and guest opinions for publication in newspapers across the state.

There was ample time for questions and candidates stayed well after the meeting to distribute campaign materials and meet with OFIR members.

 

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Court Rules Oregon Attorney General Must Not Distort Language In Immigration Control Initiative

Advocates for immigration restriction in Oregon have stopped the state’s attorney general from distorting the language in a citizen initiative that seeks to stem the tide of local businesses hiring illegals.

In a ruling issued in early March, Justice Rives Kistler ruled in Kendoll v. Rosenblum that the modified language inserted by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum into Initiative Petition 52 would mislead voters and moreover did not even properly communicate the effect of the initiative, were it become to law.

“[The measure] would require, as a matter of state law, that employers use a federal website to verify the authenticity of the documents that federal law requires only that they review,” the ruling stated. “That additional requirement is one major effect of the measure. The caption, however, does not highlight that effect.”

Rosenblum must now go back to the drawing board and change the ballot language to communicate its actual effect.

The measure states that business with five or more employees must confirm employees through E-verify, a federal website which checks out employment information, like social security numbers.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR) forwarded the ballot-measure in response to data indicating that illegals comprise about 5 percent of the workforce in Oregon. Meanwhile, unemployment rates among black youth rest at about 55 percent.

If the measure is successful, Oregon would join the ranks of several other states with similar verification programs. Arizona’s implementation of a verification program proved to be the most controversial. Pro-immigration groups challenged Arizona’s law, a challenge which the Supreme Court picked up. Ultimately, the coalition comprised of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic nationalist groups, the Department of Justice and others failed to strike down the law.

Immediately after it came into play, illegal aliens started to pour out of the state, prompting outbursts of anger from Mexican officials, as the Mexican labor market was clearly struggling to accommodate the new surge of workers. For illegals, employment in the United States is attractive because average wages are 10 times higher than in Mexico. E-verify, then, is seen as an important step by immigration-control advocates to protect American wages from plummeting.

Dale Wilcox of the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), who served as OFIR’s co-counsel, said in a statement, “The ballot language written and certified by the attorney general hid the true purpose and effect of the initiative and would have only served to confuse voters.”

IRLI is also working to battle an attempt by illegals in Oregon to eliminate Measure 88, which prevents them from gaining driver’s licenses. This measure, five illegals are arguing, is unconstitutional.

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Send tips to jonah@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
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