Over 100 people turn-out for Day of Solidarity against SB1070 in Portland

Portland, Ore—Over 100 people from Oregon's faith, immigrant and ethnic communities and their supporters gathered for a rally on Thursday to stand in solidarity against SB1070, Arizona's racial profiling law.

During the action, which took place at Holladay Park in NE Portland, people could engage in several activities including watching a skit about the harmful affects on the community that Local Police and ICE cooperation brings, signing a letter to Congress and posing for a photo with a sign to send to lawmakers and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

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Oregon Immigrant Rights Coalition Applauds Injunction Against SB1070

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2010

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263


Oregon Immigrant Rights Coalition Applauds Injunction Against SB1070

Key parts prevented from going into affect on Thursday
Salem, Ore.--Today, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton issued a preliminary injunction preventing several sections of Arizona's racial profiling law from going into affect on Thursday.

SB1070, signed into law in April, is the most extreme legislation anywhere in the country to deal with the nation's broken immigration system. Opposition to the law includes law enforcement, a diverse coalition of faith leaders, immigrants' advocates, civil rights leaders, and legal scholars.

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CAUSA to hold open house for new office in Portland on Wednesday

CAUSA is coming to the Rose City! Come by and check out our new downtown Portland Office.

CAUSA's Portland Office Open House
July 28th at 5:00pm - 7:00pm
920 SW 3rd (between SW Taylor and Salmon)
Portland, Oregon

FOR ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT ERIK SORENSEN, CAUSA's COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT 503-488-0263 OR AT ERIK@CAUSAOREGON.ORG

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PHOTOS: Isaiah 58 Solidarity Vigil Against Racial Profiling in Portland

Portland, Ore.--Today at noon, members of the Portland Faith and Immigrant Communities held a prayer vigil and fast in downtown Portland in response to Arizona's Racial Profiling Law, SB1070. Faith leaders prayed and called for an end to the targeting and separation of immigrant families and for passage of comprehensive immigration reform.

Isaiah 58, which inspires this day of action, teaches that a “true fast” is undertaken in service of “loosening the chains of injustice.”

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Congress needs to give immigrant youth the chance they deserve

This week students from across the nation are in Washington D.C. to send the message to Congress that  thousands of young immigrants who were brought here at a young age are still waiting for a chance to go to college.

The DREAM Act would allow students who are undocumented to earn their citizenship. These students have worked hard for years in the hopes of going to college, furthering their educations, and making a difference in the world. But our broken immigration system makes that impossible.

Sign a petition at the Reform Immigration For America Campaign telling Congress to give them the opportunity they deserve:

Tell Congress:

Our broken immigration system needs reform now. Pass the DREAM Act as a step towards comprehensive immigration reform.

The DREAM Act is one step toward a fair and just immigration policy, and an important one. Congress should pass it immediately. Join us in taking action today!

Click here to add your name to this petition and send it to your Representative and Senators.

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Oregon Faith and Immigrant Communities to stand in solidarity against Arizona’s Racial Profiling Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2010

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

CAUSA to join with Faith and Immigrant Communities in Solidarity against Arizona’s Racial Profiling Law

Portland, Ore. – In response to Arizona's racial profiling law, CAUSA will join with members of the Faith and Immigrant Community this week for a prayer vigil and fast.

Since Arizona’s Racial Profiling Law was passed, the faith community has been galvanized around the nation in calling for federal action and passage of comprehensive immigration reform. Around the nation, as the deadline approaches for the implementation of SB1070, faith and immigrant communities have joined together in constant prayer for Congress to take a leadership role in fixing our broken immigration system.

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Documentary examining the effects of Anti-immigrant Laws comes to Oregon

"9500 Liberty" set to screen in Portland, Salem and Eugene this week

This week, the documentary "9500 Liberty" will arrive in Oregon. The film examines what happens to a community in the State of Virginia when an anti-immigrant law is passed. The law mirrors the same type of legislation passed in Arizona recently and what many other states are threatening to pass in their legislatures.

Read the write-up from the Salem Statesman Journal: Filmmakers focus on effects of immigration laws

Here is the synopsis, trailer and dates it will show in Portland, Salem and Eugene:

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Immigration Reform Caucus Elevates Anti-Immigrant Paranoia

Originally posted at Imagine 2050. Imagine 2050 is a project which includes activists, immigrants, artists and students who are invested in a future nation that embraces multiculturalism and tolerance.

Immigration Reform Caucus Elevates Anti-Immigrant Paranoia

By Stephen Piggott
http://www.imagine2050.net/

Over the past few weeks, the anti-immigrant movement has been on high alert after rumors surfaced that President Obama may be planning to use his executive powers to fast track a pathway to citizenship for America’s undocumented immigrants. One player in the anti-immigrant movement, the House Immigration Reform Caucus, sent a letter to Obama on July 1, voicing its opposition to Obama’s supposed plan. In total, thirty-nine members of the Caucus signed on to the letter.

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Baseball Fans Call on Major League Baseball to Move All-Star Game Out of Arizona

For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Contact: Martine Apodaca (202) 383-5989

Baseball Fans Call on Major League Baseball to Move All-Star Game Out of Arizona at Joint Protests in DC and New York

Two Days after the Department of Justice Announced Lawsuit against Arizona; Activists Intensify the Pressure on MLB

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Baseball fans and activists opposed to Arizona's harsh and discriminatory anti-immigrant law gathered outside Major League Baseball's lobbyist headquarters to protest the law and called on Major League Baseball to move the 2011 All-Star game out of Phoenix. The activists gathered outside the offices of Baker Hostetler, whose relationship with Major League Baseball "dates back almost as far as the game itself."

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U.S. Justice Department Files Lawsuit against Arizona over Racial Profiling Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2010

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

U.S. Justice Department Files Lawsuit against Arizona over Racial Profiling Law

Salem, Ore.--Today the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court against the state of Arizona over their racial profiling law, S.B. 1070. The lawsuit argues that Federal authority to enforce immigration law trumps state statute. The Department of Justice has asked for a preliminary injunction to delay the law from going into affect-- citing that it will cause "irreparable harm".

The following is a statement from Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Coalition:

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Tell Senate Republicans to stop holding up the process and hurting families

This morning, President Obama spoke to the nation about immigration. He laid out the ways that our broken system hurts millions of people across this country, and how our nation can’t wait any longer for real reform. The President showed that he understands what this fight is about.

As President Obama said, passing national comprehensive immigration reform is going to take all of us working together. And for too long, Republicans in Congress have been holding up the process. Their unwillingness to even address the issue shows that they’ve ignored real solutions and promoted the politics of fear. But every day that they refuse to act constructively, millions of families suffer.

Tell Senate Republicans:

We can’t wait any longer for immigration reform. Stop holding up the process and hurting families – work on immigration reform, now.

Ask your Republican Senators and the Republican leadership to stop obstructing immigration reform for political purposes -- we need real reform to fix our broken immigration system!

TAKE ACTION

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President Says Immigration Reform being held hostage by politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2010

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

President Says Immigration Reform being held hostage by politics

Calls for passage of comprehensive reform and for Republican Leadership to stop obstruction

Salem, Ore. - In a speech at American University today, President Obama reiterated the urgent need to fix our broken immigration system through comprehensive immigration reform. The following is a statement by Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA.

"This morning, the President gave a public speech on immigration. The speech reflected what Americans already know: the need for comprehensive immigration reform is urgent.

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