Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) 
February 16, 2006 

IMMIGRANTS IN NORTHWEST SHARE THOUGHTS ABOUT POLICIES
Report urges clearing barriers to citizenship, protecting rights
By Peter Wong

A report released this week adds the voices of Northwest immigrants to the growing national debate about federal immigration policies.

Advocates say the voices should be heeded as a U.S. Senate committee prepares to take up a bill that the House passed in December to step up security at U.S. borders.

Ramon Ramirez said the bill falls short of what Congress should do to resolve the status of as many as 11 million people who lack documents for U.S. residency.

"What we need to do is take a comprehensive look at immigration reform that incorporates people into the community," said Ramirez, the president of the PCUN farmworkers union.

"The immigration system fails to provide a meaningful path of citizenship for many immigrants in the Northwest. As a result, millions of immigrants without permanent status suffer employment discrimination and civil-rights violations and have limited access to basic services such as health care and education."

Ramirez was among the speakers at the Oregon presentation of the report, "In Our Own Words: Immigrants' Experiences in the Northwest." It was compiled by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations with help in Oregon from PCUN; Oregon's immigrant-rights coalition, CAUSA; and Latinos Unidos Siempre.

The report urges clearing barriers to residency and citizenship, strengthening and enforcing protections for workers, broadening opportunities for immigrants to become part of community life, and shielding immigrants from discrimination and civil-rights violations.

"I want to ask the president to give us another opportunity to adjust our status," said Antonio Vega of Salem, one of several immigrants who spoke through an interpreter and who has permanent-resident status after 10 years. "We suffer a lot looking for work."

President Bush's proposed changes to immigration law have run into political resistance in Congress, where some members from his Republican Party have called for tightening border controls before action is taken on undocumented workers and guest-worker programs.

The House passed a border-security bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., who also sponsored the 2005 law that sets new federal standards for state driver licenses. The bill is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Kayse Jama said immigration policy is controversial when public concerns about terrorism from abroad and the economy at home are high.

"But as an immigrant and a refugee, I want the public to know that we are not the enemy," said Jama, who emigrated from war-torn Somalia and now works with the Center for Intercultural Organizing in Portland.

"We contribute more to the economy than we take out of the system. We are taxpayers without the benefit of being taxpayers."

Rebeca Velazquez of Salem said she and other immigrants have had to forgo visits to parents, siblings and children in their home country because of the difficulty of obtaining legal residency in the United States.

One of her cousins, she said, has waited 14 years for permanent-residency status.

"It's sad because while this is happening, his brother is fighting in the war in Iraq," she said. "He is over there fighting for his country while my cousin waits."

Jorge Montañez of Salem became a legal resident in 1986, when Congress passed the most recent major change in immigration laws, and since has become a U.S. citizen.

"There are many other people who should be here supporting us or giving interviews," he said. "But they are afraid there may be an immigration raid or are afraid to tell their stories. They do not realize the benefits of speaking up."

Ramirez singled out for criticism Ron Saxton, a Portland lawyer seeking the Republican nomination for governor who is broadcasting radio ads about illegal immigration. Saxton said last week in Salem that he is unwilling to ignore federal laws but is willing to consider changes.

"We don't do that by bashing immigrants and by creating fear and discrimination against one sector of our community in Oregon," Ramirez said. "It's a slap in the face to hard-working immigrants who have made our country prosper."

Ramirez conceded that changes in the House-passed bill will be tough. But he said business and agricultural interests have concerns about it.

"We have our work cut out for us," he said. "But it has given us the opportunity to create alliances. The bottom line is that America needs workers. They understand that clearly."

One of those workers, who identified herself only as "Carmen," said she has harvested fruits and vegetables for 10 or 11 hours daily.

"One of the reasons we expect the dirtiest and hardest work is because of the barriers we face not knowing English or the culture," she said.

"We came from a poor country without access to education. We came north. We think the American dream is believable. But not all of us were able to reach our plans."

pwong@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6745.