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Crowd protests illegal immigration

Group wants state to halt services for such people

STEVE LAW
Statesman Journal


March 25, 2006

A fired-up crowd of about 150 gathered Friday at the Capitol to protest illegal immigration and to demand that the state halt services to people without U.S. citizenship.

Speakers urged the state to deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, to demand proof of citizenship before allowing people to vote and to stop spending money on bilingual education in schools.

"This has nothing to do with someone's race; it has everything to do with following the law," said Victoria Taft, a KPAM talk-radio host who co-sponsored the event with Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

"Stop giving driver's licenses to people who just showed up in a van via Guatemala," Taft said.

The rally attracted Kevin Mannix, a Republican candidate for governor who has lost the support of some influential conservatives for not coming down harder against illegal immigration.

Mannix credited those at the rally for forcing Gov. Ted Kulongoski to withdraw state agency representatives from Carousel of Information events put on by the Mexican Consulate. Critics say state agency participation at those events encouraged illegal immigrants to gain state services.

State Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, blamed illegal immigrants for driving up government costs, among other negative impacts.

"Oregon has given cover to too many people wreaking havoc on our society," Thatcher said.

She promised that her 2005 effort to deny driver's licenses to noncitizens will succeed in the 2007 legislative session.

Protesters carried signs reading: "Illegal Immigration is a Crime," "No Borders, No Country" and "Stop the Illegal Invasion."

Bev Hanes of Beaverton carried a sign reading "Illegals for Ted."

"I'm fed up what's happened to this state," she said.

About 10 counterprotesters, mobilized by the group Jobs with Justice, stood silently behind the crowd.

They carried signs reading "No Human Being is Illegal," "The Pilgrims were Illegal Aliens" and other messages.

Salem resident Joe Schaeffer, who was among that group, said the crowd was advocating "un-Christian" behavior.

"I'm worried that people blame illegal immigrants for basically trying to feed their families," Schaeffer said.

It would be better to go after employers for hiring illegal immigrants than to militarize our borders, he said.

slaw@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6615