Columbia County Voters Decide On Two Immigration Measures
The first on a local level , and many citizens hope that it will be the last.
by angela fairless

One would think that a country, which is made up almost entirely of immigrants would be known for having the absolute best immigration process. However in America this is not the case. In fact most Americans will agree that our Federal Immigration policy has completely failed, but that is as far as the agreeing goes. Our society is at odds with itself over where to go from here with immigration reform.

Across the country frustrated communities have decided to take this Federal issue into their own hands, and in some cases, are causing quite a stir. This November, residents of Columbia County will have the opportunity to make a great statement about how the Pacific Northwest feels about immigration reform. Columbia County 5-190 and 5-191 are the area’s first ever, local ballot which is related to immigration.

5-190 would require the county to prohibit employment of unauthorized aliens. In addition to Federal penalties for employing illegal aliens, the county would impose fines up to ten thousand dollars, as well as potential probation for the owner, suspension of business licenses and/or building permits.

If passed, 5-190 would require all employers in the county to verify the employment eligibility of all employees through the Department of Homeland Security by the end of 2008. The county attorney would be charged with investigating complaints and the County Commission would be required to hold hearings in the case of any violations. If passed, these new programs would be funded entirely through the counties general fund.

5-191 would require all Columbia County contractors to post signs, which read "Legal Workers Only" at the entrance of every subdivision, commercial/industrial development, and minor partition. The signs would be requiredto have reference to the "punitive charge" of ten thousand dollars, as well as a stipulation that a stop work order would be given if the punitive charges were not paid.

The signs to be posted, if 5-191 passed, would need to be at least four foot by eight foot, three quarter inch plywood with words in bold print no smaller than four inches high. They would also include the phone numbers of the County Building Department, the Sheriffs office, and the new 1-800-number to the Social Security verification program.

The idea for these ballots was originally proposed on July 18th 2007 at the St. Helens City Council Meeting. Wayne Mayo, a contractor in St. Helens, brought forth a letter that outlined his concern over illegal aliens and his intent to get the local government to do something about it. Many citizens had gathered to rebut Mayo’s statements and the following public comment time became what Mayor Peterson called, "the most fascinatingand interesting debate that had been in the Council Chambers for a long time."

Though every group of immigrants that has come to America has experienced some form of discrimination upon their arrival, none have been so consistently discriminated against, as have those with darker skin. Simply existing as a minority can be difficult, but to be a targeted minority can become a dangerous vulnerability. Most recently people of Arab and Hispanic cultures have become the targeted minorities in our society, and not even our rural communities are free from the fear that accompanies discrimination.

In fact rural areas have been the targets to some of largest and most grotesque raids in our country. Earlier this year federal agents shackled nearly four hundred people, at the wrist, waist, and feet, and herded them out of the kosher meatpacking factory in rural Postville Iowa. This raid, which happened on May 12th not only, involved a wide range of human rights violations; it also uncovered a surplus of labor law violations, some of which included children. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received a grave deal of criticism for their actions but it did not slow them down any.

Again, in August, the ICE topped its record in Iowa by going to a bit larger town in Laurel Mississippi where they targeted workers at Howard Industries. An up and coming workers union had begun to organize before almost six hundred of the workers were shuttled to a federal immigration detention facility, two hundred miles and across a state line from their home. Just like the Iowa raids in May this one involved it’s own set of human rights violations. The American Civil Liberties Union compared to the two events and heavily criticized them for the "mass prosecution and assembly-line guilty pleas that the government employed."

If Iowa and Mississippi seem far away to you then maybe you remember the Oregon immigration raids in Portland, Astoria, or Cannon Beach. Again, there were reports of hundreds of people being taken away to federal detention centers. Locally, there were stories of young students arriving home from school to find a locked door and an empty house. Restaurants and businesses were forced to close down, and (as always is the case with the federal government) there were reports of human rights violations.

Organizations such as the Rural Organizing Project (ROP) and the Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity (CCCHD) have been fighting for human rights and against 5-190 and 5-191 since they were first proposed in St. Helens over a year ago. These organizations believe these proposals to be simple solutions to a complex problem, and further, that they will bring a whole new set of unintended consequences with them.

Without any source of revenue or other financial plan these proposed programs would deplete the counties general fund, while simultaneously adding to the county law enforcements duties. Logic tell you that adding programs and jobs will require new funding and new employees however, Mayo, chief petitioner of the proposals, believes that the fines incurred from local businesses caught in violation would support all of the programs.

One would think this to be hard on local business owners. Not to mention the cost of the signs for contractors, and most encompassing is the rule that every business in the county would have to "e-verify" all employees with the Department of Homeland Security. Though the frustration that seeds these proposals may be economic turmoil, it is apparent that they may bring an economic oppression all their own. Mayo insists, however that these laws will not only help solve the problems involving immigration but will help the local economy as well. While Oregon has a higher average rate of unemployment than the nation, Columbia County has one of the highest unemployment rates in Oregon. Mayo believes this is partly due to the illegal immigrants, who, he says, are taking jobs away from our youth. "They need constructive opportunity that is being denied them by an influx of illegal workers."

Though Columbia County attorneys do not oppose or support the measures they have put out a "legal opinion" on the two measures. The attorneys found "several flaws" in both measures, some of which could make the county vulnerable to lawsuits. Mayo reiterates that, "5-190 is a real law already being used effectively in Arizona."

Though these two ballots are the first immigrant-related issues to be voted on at a local level, there are others. Oregon ballot measure 58, proposed by Bill Sizemore, would create a state statute to require "English immersion" for Oregon public school students. Over twelve percent of the states population speaks a second language at home. If passed this statute would limit the use of foreign language instruction at schools across Oregon.

Oregon's Latino population makes up just over ten percent of the population. In Columbia County over ninety four percent of the population is white, and the Latino community only makes up 3.6 percent of the population. Though the people who make up the ROP and CCCHD are not targeted by these two ballot measures, they maintain a dedication to fight them on the grounds that they will bring, not just economic hardship, but fear and discrimination as well.

The CCCHD is a member of the ROP, which is a statewide organization of community groups in rural areas similar to the CCCHD. CCCHD "believes in the worth of every person…believes that democracy flourishes when all are included." And they work “to assure the basic rights and human dignity of all Oregonians."