Leaders' Assembly in Eugene on January 24th

Lane County Leaders' Assembly

Faith, Labor, Community Organizations and Education sectors
Building an Alliance for the Common Good

Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m.- 7:45pm
Location: First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street, Eugene, OR 97401-3939

Issues:
Safer Roads for Lane County Residents: Ensure Driver’s License Access for ALL county residents
Social Services for Working Class Families in Lane County: Urgent Funding Restoration for Centro LatinoAmericano

Invited guests include elected officials from City, County, and State Government

If you are bringing a delegation from a Church, Synagogue, Union Local, Public School, Community Organization and University or for more information please contact Lane County Causa Oregon organizer Ranfis Villatoro at (971) 242-9964

RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/279594432084250/


FLYER IN ENGLISH: http://www.causaoregon.org/event-flyers/2012-lane-co-leaders-assembly-eng.pdf
FLYER EN ESPANOL: http://www.causaoregon.org/event-flyers/2012-lane-co-leaders-assembly-span.pdf

Read more »

Rally to Restore Driver’s License Access to ALL Oregonians

Salem, Ore.-- Last Friday, after several days of phone calls, faxes, visits, and negotiations, CAUSA was notified that the Oregon State Senate will hold a legislative hearing on Oregon's bipartisan Driver’s License Access Restoration Act (Senate Bill 845).

The hearing is scheduled for the afternoon on Monday, April 18th in the Senate Transportation Committee. We will hold a rally on the front steps of the Oregon State Capitol starting at 4:00pm. It is very important that supporters of Senate Bill 845 attend the rally and hearing to send a message to the members of the Senate Transportation Committee that our communities value public safety and want ALL Oregonians to have access to Driver’s Licenses

Rally to Restore Driver’s License Access to ALL Oregonians
Date: April 18, 2011
Time: 4:00pm
Location: Oregon State Capitol
900 Court St. NE, Salem, Oregon

In the meantime, please call the following State Senators who sit on the Senate Transportation Committee and urge them to vote “Yes” on Senate Bill 845 when it comes up for a vote.
• Senator Lee Beyer (D- District 6, Chair 503-986-1706
• Senator Jason Atkinson (R – District 2), Vice-Chair 503-986-1702
• Senator Ginny Burdick (D – District 18) 503-986-1718
• Senator Chris Edwards (D- District 7) 503-986-1707
• Senator Fred Girod ( R – District 9) 503-986-1709
• Senator Bruce Starr (R – District 15) 503-986-1715

Tell them:

“My name is _____ and I live in _____. I support Senate Bill 845 because it’s important for me to know that ALL Oregon Residents have access to a driver’s license and driver’s insurance. It’s a matter of public safety, fairness, and common sense. Please vote “Yes” on this important legislation when it comes up for a vote.”

Your phone calls are extremely important to help push this bill forward, however please feel free to also send a message via our system. After you send your message, please also add your name to our petition that will be delivered to legislators.

Thank you for taking action on this important issue for the safety and well-being of ALL Oregonians!

Read more »

CAUSA to hold legislative briefing on 2011 Latino Agenda at Oregon State Capitol

MEDIA ADVISORY
February 5, 2011

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

CAUSA to hold legislative briefing on 2011 Latino Agenda at Oregon State Capitol

Salem, Ore.--On Tuesday, February 15th, members of CAUSA, Oregon's Latino Immigrant Rights Coalition, will present their 2011 Latino Legislative Agenda in a briefing at the Oregon State Capitol. Those attending the briefing will include members of the Oregon State Legislature, coalition partners and leaders from the community.

Legislative Briefing: Presentation of CAUSA Oregon Latino Agenda 2011
Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Time: 11:30 a.m
Location:
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court Street NE, Room 50
Salem, Oregon

Issues to be discussed at the February 15th legislative briefing include affordable housing, education, public safety, health, and jobs and the economy.

Members of the media are encouraged to attend. For more information, please contact Erik Sorensen at 503-488-0263 503-488-0263 or at erik@causaoregon.org

###
CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition is the largest Latino and Latina civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org

Read more »

How did your Representative Vote on SB1080?

Yesterday, Senate Bill 1080 passed the Oregon State House by a vote of 45-15. Upon final approval from the Governor, the bill will become law requiring ALL individuals to show proof of legal presence in United States and a valid Social Security number before the DMV will issue, renew or replace a driver's license, driver's permit or identification card. read more

See which legislators turned their back on immigrants, the Latino community and the safety of Oregonians and voted to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants Here

Read more »

Immigrant Rights Advocates Denounce Passage of Draconian Driver’s License Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2008

Contact:
Erik Sorensen, Communications, CAUSA (503) 488-0263
Aeryca Steinbauer, Coordinator, CAUSA (503) 984-6816

Immigrant Rights Advocates Denounce Passage of Draconian Driver's License Bill

Under the watch of Democrats, undocumented immigrants lose the ability to drive legally

Salem, OR- Today CAUSA, Oregon's statewide immigrant rights coalition, denounces the passage of SB 1080 and expresses deep disappointment that undocumented immigrants lost the ability to drive legally on the Democrat's watch.

The bill, which passed the State House today by a vote of 45-15, comes just a week after rule changes set forth by Governor Kulongoski's Executive Order went into affect. Since February 4th, the DMV has been operating under new rules requiring individuals to present a valid social security number to obtain a driver's license. Upon final approval from the Governor, SB 1080 will become law requiring individuals to show proof of legal presence in United States and a valid Social Security number before the DMV will issue, renew or replace a driver's license, driver's permit or identification card.

Currently, there are over 120,000 undocumented immigrants in Oregon, many of whom drive on Oregon's roads to get to work, buy groceries, and take their children to school. As a result of this bill becoming law, drivers who can't prove their legal status will be denied a driver's license, causing them to choose between taking care of their families and risking driving without a license and insurance. It is certain to have a disastrous effect on public safety, Oregon's economy and trust in government.

"Denying licenses is an all around bad idea for Oregon." said Aeryca Steinbauer, Coordinator with CAUSA. "Rather than increasing security as Democrats maintain, it will erode the safety of our roads, public trust, the well-being of working immigrant families and Oregon's economy. And it is certain that more than just undocumented immigrants will be at risk under this new law."

In response to this draconian bill being passed by the Legislature, CAUSA and allies are calling on the Governor and legislative leadership to form a committee of legislators, business people and community members to study the economic and social impacts of the Executive Order. They are also calling on quick action to restore driver's license access to all Oregonians.

In addition, CAUSA, Voz Hispana and their allies will launch the largest Latino voter registration campaign in Oregon history.

####

Read more »

Bill Restricting Driver's Licenses to be Voted on Today

Over at Blue Oregon, there is a discussion going on about the passage and merits of Senate Bill 1080. For those who have been trying to desperately keep up with the Oregon Legislature's speed at cramming this bill through both houses, you may have heard that it passed the full Senate with a vote of 23-7 on Monday. The bill is now before the Oregon House for consideration and a vote is expected to take place sometime this morning.

If passed, Senate Bill 1080 will require proof of legal presence in United States and a Social Security number before the Oregon Department of Transportation may issue, renew or replace driver license, driver permit or identification card. During Monday's Session, several Senators spoke out against the forseen consequences of the bill. During the open debate, Senate Avel Gordly said she was "deeply disturbed by the already apparent consequences of this bill, whether intended or not, which is to divide us from one another, even from our own neighbors."

It is not too late. We encourage all immigrant rights supporters and those concerned with public safety to call their State Representatives this morning and tell them to Vote “NO” on the draconian Senate Bill 1080, “a costly, dangerous and unfair law that threatens the safety of ALL Oregonians and the economy of our state.”

If you don’t know the name of your Representative, you can get contact information for them here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

You can also send an e-blast to your Representative by linking here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/

Read more »

Oregon doesn't need more unlicensed drivers

in the news

An editorial from the Corvallis Gazette Times in response to Senate Bill 1080:

We don’t need more unlicensed drivers

We shouldn’t allow a federal security mandate to trump common-sense highway safety here in Oregon.

The state Senate on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require proof of legal U.S. residence to get an Oregon driver’s license. The measure, which now goes to the House, where it also seems likely to win approval, would place into state statutes tighter identification requirements that are included in an executive order by Gov. Ted Kulongoski that took effect last week.

Supporters of the proposal claim that Oregon had become an easy place for noncitizens to obtain identification cards for “nefarious” purposes. They say these new, tougher requirements will help keep us all safer by preventing terrorists and drug dealers from obtaining driver’s licenses that could be used as ID. >>read on

Read more »

State Legislators turn back on Immigrants, Latino Community

Last Thursday, with over 3000 immigrant rights supporters in attendance, members of the Oregon State Legislature Joint Committee on Ways and Means voted 11-6 in favor of draconian driver’s license restrictions. Senate Bill 1080, which will threaten the public safety of Oregonians and hurt working families and Oregon’s economy, was passed on to the full senate.

Among those that voted in favor of SB 1080 were six Democrats including Senate President Peter Courtney. Courtney, who represents a district with a large Latino and Immigrant constituency, doesn’t actually sit on the Committee for Ways and Means however attended Thursday's work session just to take the vote.

Other legislators who turned their back on immigrants and Latinos in addition to Senator Courtney include:

Sen. Kurt Schrader(D)
Rep. David Edwards (D)
Sen. Betsy Johnson(D)
Rep. Larry Galizio(D)
Sen. Rod Monroe (D)
Sen. Peter Courtney (D)
Rep. Bruce L Hanna(R)
Sen. David Nelson R)
Rep. Bob Jenson(R)
Sen. Doug Whitsett(R)
Rep. Susan Morgan (R)

CAUSA would like to recognize those legislators below who had the courage to stand up for Immigrants, the Latino community and the public safety of all Oregonians.

Sen. Alan C Bates (D)
Rep. Mary Nolan (D)
Sen. Avel Gordly(I)
Sen. Margaret Carter(D)
Rep. Chip Shields(D)
Rep. Nancy Nathanson(D)

In response to the vote taken last week and the one taken in the full senate today, immigrant rights groups will push for the Governor to form a committee of legislators, business people and community members to study the economic and social impacts of the Executive Order and restore driver’s license access to all Oregonians.

In addition, CAUSA and their allies will also launch the largest Latino voter registration campaign in the history of Oregon.

Read more »

Work Session Tonight on Driver's License Restrictions (S.B.1080)

On Tuesday, the Oregon State Senate Transportation Committe passed Senate Bill 1080 unanimously with additional rules. The new version approved now not only will require applicants to have proof of legal citizenship, but will limit validity of Oregon licenses to the length of the applicant's authorized stay, up to eight years, or to one year if there is no stay limit.

SB 1080 is now before the Oregon State Legislature Joint Committee on Ways and Means. This evening, the Committee will be meeting for a Work Session to discuss the bill. Although there will be no testimony heard, we want to encourage immigrant rights supporters and those concerned with the public safety of ALL Oregon residents to be present at the State Capitol tonight.

Senate Bill 1080 will require proof of legal presence in United States and a Social Security number before the Oregon Department of Transportation may issue, renew or replace driver license, driver permit or identification card.

Work Session on Senate Bill 1080
Joint Committee on Ways and Means

When: Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:00pm

Where:
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court St NE,
Salem Oregon
Room: HR F

For more information on immigrants' access to drivers' licenses, please visit http://www.causaoregon.org/

Read more »

Hearing This Evening on Driver's License Restrictions

Yesterday, over 1,000 immigrants and their allies came to the Capitol Mall in Salem to rally against driver license restrictions which puts in jeopardy the public safety of ALL Oregon Residents. Directly across the street on the steps of the State Capitol, Oregonians For Immigration Reform held their anti-immigrant rally. Needless to say, immigrants and their allies came out with such a wonderful showing of support for immigrant rights, OFIR activists took their only option: they let racist remarks fly.

This evening, we need your presence at the Oregon State Capitol again! The Oregon State Legislature will hear testimony on Senate Bill 1080, which will require proof of legal presence in United States and a Social Security number before the Oregon Department of Transportation may issue, renew or replace driver license, driver permit or identification card.

Public Hearing on Senate Bill 1080

When: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 6:00pm

Where:
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court St NE,
Salem Oregon
Room: HR C

Those wishing to testify should plan to arrive by 5:15pm to ensure they get signed up. Staff respectfully requests that you submit 25 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony.

For more information on immigrants' access to drivers' licenses, please visit www.causaoregon.org

Read more »

Video Released on New Driver's License Restrictions

On January 11th, over 3000 Oregon Residents gathered at the State Capitol to raise concerns over restrictions that will limit drivers licenses for immigrants, causing a crisis for their families and a danger to public safety.

Today CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition, launched an eight-minute documentary title "Bad Policy: A Danger to Public Safety" which includes segments from the hearing conducted by the Oregon State Senate and House interim Transportation Committees.

Read more »