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Anti-Day-Laborer Protest

Anti-illegal-immigration group Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR) has been protesting against Latino day laborers in Cornelius, just west of Portland, for the past few weeks. Meanwhile, pro-immigration activists and laborers have accused the group of "menacing" them. For example, they have photographed and videotaped the laborers at close range, calling them "terrorists," according to one day laborer.

OFIR has yet to brave such a protest in downtown Portland, where day laborers are represented by the nonprofit project, VOZ Workers Rights Education Project. And one prominent OFIR activist, Daniel Miglavs, turned down the Mercury's repeated requests for an interview last week after it emerged on Blog Town, PDX (portlandmercury.com/blogtown) that he has a history of gang involvement. He wrote: "I think I'm a pretty nice guy." MATT DAVIS

And on the Other Side...

With the backdrop of groups like Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR) protesting at day-laborer sites, pro-immigrant-rights activists are gearing up for a protest of their own.

On Sunday, September 3, at 2 pm, a coalition of groups like VOZ, Jobs with Justice, SEIU, and the Portland Central American Solidarity Committee will hold a pre-Labor Day march and protest to "tell Congress that it's time to fix our broken immigration system." Unlike OFIR, however, the coalition's plan for "fixing our broken immigration system" is to make it more fair and open, not more restrictive.
The march starts with a rally at the South Park Blocks at SW Salmon and Park. SCOTT MOORE