By Marshall Hammond
Fear is being felt throughout Oregon’s immigrant population as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to arrest and deport millions of individuals, sometimes to “third party” countries where they’ve never lived.
“We have families who are afraid to send their kids to school,” says Ana Muñoz of the Latino Network, “They’re missing their doctor’s appointments. Even going to the grocery store is a challenge. A lot of families are going back in the shadows, they don’t want to be out there exposed to any possibility of being targeted, detained and possibly kidnapped.”
The administration claims the arrests target “the worst of the worst” criminals. However, data from government sources suggests otherwise according to numerous sources. One report, compiled by the Cato Institute, shows that 65 percent of the arrestees have no criminal record, and the vast majority of those with criminal records have committed non-violent crimes, with most falling into the categories of immigration, traffic or vice.
June 2, ICE agents arrested O-J-M, a trans woman from Mexico attending a court hearing at Edith Green–Wendell Wyatt Federal Building in downtown Portland. The woman, whose full name has not been released, sought asylum after suffering violence at the hands of a drug cartel, her attorneys said. O-J-M was held for 40 days in solitary confinement at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA before she was released on orders of District Court Judge Amy Baggio, who ruled the arrest unlawful.
July 15, an Iranian man named Mahdi Khanbabazadeh was arrested while dropping his daughter off at preschool in Beaverton. Masked ICE Agents broke his car window, pinned him against his car and arrested him in view of students and faculty in what bystanders described as a traumatizing incident.
Khanbabazadeh, a chiropractor who originally entered the US on a student visa, had married a US citizen, applied for a green card and completed his immigration interview. Dashcam video of the incident shows Khanbabazadeh speaking with ICE officers while his daughter sits in the back of his car, and officers breaking the window after his daughter exited the vehicle. Khanbabazadeh is currently being held in Tacoma.
As undocumented workers, asylum seekers, foreign students and even lawful resident immigrants are being swept up across the country, human rights and advocacy groups are mobilizing support.
On Wednesday, July 16, the nonprofit Portland For All hosted a webinar featuring representatives from several advocacy groups offering guidance on how Oregonians can help immigrant communities.
The webinar featured Isa Peña of Innovation Law Lab, Muñoz of the Latino Network and Romeo Sosa of the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC). The discussion covered a broad range of topics, including the historical roots of the current immigration crackdown, Oregon’s Sanctuary Laws and strategies for pressuring local elected officials to support immigrant communities. As the conversation progressed, the panelists highlighted numerous ways volunteers can assist immigrants.
“Becoming a legal observer or accompanying someone to their ICE check-in has been some of the most critical ways that people have shown up and helped prevent the deportation of our immigrant Oregonians,” says Peña.
Volunteers have been helping individuals taken into ICE custody by safeguarding personal belongings such as cell phones and car keys, notifying family members, contacting legal representatives and tracking where the individual is being detained. “Accompaniers” also observe and document what occurs before, during and after an arrest—providing a record of events and any potential human rights violations. Just as importantly, they offer emotional support during what is often a frightening and traumatic experience. The non-profit Interfaith Movement for Immigration Reform offers training in how to be an “accompanier.”
The PIRC operates a hotline at 888.622.1510, where people can report ICE activity. In response, PIRC issues text alerts to warn others in the area, allowing trained volunteers an opportunity to act as legal observers and document the events on the ground.
PIRC also conducts training sessions and has developed “Know Your Rights” cards that immigrants can carry with them. The cards outline fundamental legal rights, such as the right to consult an attorney, and offer practical tips, including the importance of attending court hearings accompanied by someone with permanent legal immigration status.
“If you have legal status,” says Sosa, ”use that privilege to support immigrants. The vulnerable people, they need you in this critical moment, you can do a lot.”
Muñoz’s organization, the Latino Network, also provides “Know Your Rights” materials and training sessions, connects immigrants with legal assistance and has produced a “Protect Your Family” packet. Created in coordination with the Oregon Law Center, the packet offers vital information and guidance for immigrant families in the event of an unexpected situation such as a deportation.
“We might not stop immigration from detaining people,” says Muñoz, “but we can help families prepare for the unexpected situations where they can identify someone to take care of their children if they need to.”
“If someone does get picked up that you know,” says Peña, “checking in on their family and making sure that they have the things that they need, providing food and meal trains, offering to take kids to school, little things that you may not think are of great use, sometimes are the best ways our community can show up.”
Watch the full discussion at portlandforall.org/events.