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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

OR State Representative wants to send immigrants to jails in China?

Oregon State Representative Dennis Richardson, a Republican from Central Point (District 4), wants to send undocumented immigrants to Chinese jails.

Richardson wrote in his January 21st newsletter that sending "illegals" to be jailed in China would save money and "free up bed space". And even though he admits that there could be "federal issues with moving prisoners across international borders", he encouraged "creative thinking".

Here is the passage from his newsletter:

Dennis Richardson
"For instance, how about considering the effect on both cost and recidivism for Illegals who are sent to do their time in a private prison in China. With contractual agreements regarding care, treatment, nourishment, basic living conditions, etc., Illegals could be incarcerated for less than $10,000 per year-a fraction of current costs in Oregon. Plus, it would free up bed space and thereby avoid having to build or expand Oregon prisons. California contracts with Tennessee prisons, so why how about Oregon contracting with its number one export partner, China. (Certainly there might be federal issues with moving prisoners across international borders, but creative thinking is about "what if" and not "no, because.")"--Oregon State Representative Dennis Richardson
Is this the type of "creative thinking" we can expect from Mr. Richardson and his friends down at the Oregon State Legislature? To advocate breaking up families and sending them to jails in a country known for human rights abuses?

How about instead of coming up with nonsensical ideas and trying to create a polarized climate in Oregon, maybe Representative Richardson should support ideas that will actually give some benefit to Oregonians. A good start would be to back legislation that would allow all children in Oregon to have access to healthcare by eliminating barriers to enrollment. Maybe he could work toward increasing state funding for safety net clinics and community clinics, amplifying their ability to serve more uninsured families across Oregon.

Some other ideas? He could help sponsor a tuition equity bill allowing all students who have graduated from high school or received their GED in the State of Oregon the opportunity to pay in-state tuition to continue post-secondary education regardless of immigration status. Maybe he could even get behind recovery programs such as economic development, job training, and job creation programs, and ensure that these programs address the needs of the Latino community.

Working on these ideas at the Oregon State Legislature should surely keep him busy.

Those wishing to encourage State Representative Dennis Richards to support the common sense solutions we have offered above can contact his office at 503-986-1404

2 comments:

CAUSA Communications Department said...

Sure, Rep. Richards, and you could save a lot if you sold your children into slavery, too.

My reading of history says a key principle is limiting government from stepping on inherent human rights. Every human deserves equal respect, but you make it difficult, Rep. Richards. It's challenging for me to respect you when you say such stupid, hurtful things.

CAUSA Communications Department said...

This is just another attempt by the GOPer's to circumvent the will of the people and abuse the rights of everyone.
The plan is to pass a bunch of new laws that fills whatever dream they have of doing whatever they want, just because they made a law. Doesn't matter if these new laws abuse people's civil rights, violates federal law or existing law, if the new law is unconstitutional, is communistic, blatantly racist or discriminatory as long as it fits the GOP plan of destroying Democracy! Look at Wisconsin and Michigan!

"One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that 'an unjust law is no law at all'." (Martin Luther King - Letter from Birmingham Prison, Alabama)

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