Community Groups Applaud Multnomah County Resolution; Call for Passage and Further Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2012

Contacts:
Eliana Machuca, 503-703-1407
Becky Straus, 503-894-4294, bstraus@aclu-or.org
En Español:
Francisco Lopez, 503-269-5694

Community Groups Applaud Multnomah County Resolution; Call for Passage and Further Action

Resolution raises concern over the effects of federal immigration enforcement practices on public safety and public trust in Multnomah County

Portland, OR— Act for Justice and Dignity (ACT), a network of faith, labor, immigrant, and civil liberties organizations, urges passage of the Multnomah County resolution, which calls for use of prosecutorial discretion by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in immigration deportation proceedings and calls for an end to unjust deportations.

“This is an important first step in breaking ICE’s hold on Multnomah County,” said Eliana Machuca, a network spokesperson. “We urge community members to make their voices heard and attend this hearing.”

What: Multnomah County Commission hearing on ending unjust deportations in Multnomah County.
When: Thursday, March 1st, 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Board Room of Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

The hearing will address issues critical to public safety and immigrant rights in Multnomah County. By asking our local law enforcement agencies to detain and hold undocumented immigrants in county jails, ICE has forced the costs of federal immigration enforcement onto our local governments and their residents, diminished our public safety, and needlessly torn apart thousands of Oregon families.

ACT applauds the Commissioners for bringing attention to the important issues of ICE’s influence on public safety and public trust in the County. Their voicing concern is a critical first step in beginning to address the effects of ICE’s policies here in Multnomah County. ACT is looking forward to concrete steps and changes that follow this resolution.

“Multnomah County ought to be a place where people, regardless of their immigration status, feel safe to come forward and report crime, whether they are a victim, a witness or have knowledge of on-going criminal activity,” said Becky Straus, the Legislative Director of the ACLU of Oregon.

“With this Resolution, the County is making a commitment to work with members of the community, including advocates in our network, to strengthen community trust in our public safety system.” Straus said. “We are appreciative of this commitment and look forward to addressing these issues further in the coming months.”

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Posted in: Multnomah County,Resolutions