Anti-Immigrant Movement in Oregon

I am from Portland, Oregon, and last semester I attended Lewis and Clark College. While there, I learned a lot about how recently, there has been a major anti-immigrant movement growing in Oregon. Many Mexican migrants live in the state, many working on berry farms as cheap labor. I recently received the below email from the Lewis and Clark Latin American Studies Listserv about an anti-immigrant bill that passed the Oregon House of Reps in December. The email is from an activist group that is against the bill; a large pro-immigrant movement has been mobilizing against the anti-immigrant movement.

Border and Immigration Enforcement Act (H.R. 4437) “Sensenbrenner Bill”
This bill is an attack, not an answer. This is not an antiterrorism bill, not a border security bill, not an enforcement bill, and not an immigration reform bill. Worse, thisbill’s approach presents a grave threat to deeply-held American values, including due process of law, family unity, and the safety and securityof all Americans. It targets all immigrants for punishment and doesnot contribute to our security or to immigration reform.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THE PROPOSITION HR 4437 INCLUDE:
Criminalizes millions of immigrants. Anyone in the U.S. illegally would be subject not only to deportation but imprisonment as well.
Greatly expands the definition of smuggling in a way that could severely penalize innocent acts of kindness and daily, casual contacts that many Americans have with undocumented immigrants, such asproviding transportation and so on.
Greatly expands mandatory detention and expedited removal, potentially imprisoning millions of persons and generating huge costs to the taxpayer.
Expands the definition of “aggravated felony,” rendering legal immigrants convicted of minor offenses in the past ineligible forimmigration benefits including naturalization and could be subject to deportation, permanent bar.
Deputizes local law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws over the objections of many such officials, who believe that this authority undercuts their ability to protect the public safety.
Mandates a broad-reaching employment verification system that requires employers to retroactively verify the employment status of employees who have been employed for years. It also mandates that churches, NGOs, and others involved in workforce development prescreen potential job applicants before referring them to jobs.
Severely reduces due process rights for legal immigrants in a way that dramatically undercuts basic principles of American justice.
These are only parts of the proposal. If they are not passed in the Sesenbrenner Bill, they could still be introduced as provisions inother anti-immigrant propositions.

Portland Central America Solidarity Committee and Cross Border Labor Organizing Coalition

It is interesting and a bit sad to see that the anti-immigrant movement is so strong in a state like Oregon that has a relatively low immigrant population compared to traditionally large immigrant states. Anti-immigration movements are growing all over the country.