Protesters target day-labor site in Portland

Immigration - About 20 people show up where about 20 men, mostly Latinos, wait for work

Sunday, October 15, 2006

AIMEE GREEN

Sign-toting, flag-waving Oregonians protesting illegal immigrants who work and use public services moved their protests to a day-labor pickup site in Portland for the first time Saturday.

About 20 protesters from the groups Oregonians for Immigration Reform and the Oregon chapter of the national Minuteman Civil Defense Corps carried video cameras and recorded license plates of cars and trucks stopping at the corner of Southeast Sixth Avenue and Burnside Street.

About 20 men, most of them Latinos, stood on the corner waiting for work.

Tensions rose when a few of the laborers threw rocks toward protesters but didn't hit anybody. A Portland police officer stationed nearby told them to stop.

Otherwise, the four-hour protest was marked by occasional shouting matches and no violence.

"It was definitely a successful day," said Rick Hickey of Salem, vice president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform. "We had several contractors slow down and look like they were going to stop and pick people up, but they didn't. We spooked them."

The anti-illegal immigration groups have protested five times in recent months at a day labor site in Cornelius. They vowed to continue confronting people who try to hire the day laborers at the Burnside site. The groups say they'll submit the information they've collected to federal immigration enforcement and the Internal Revenue Service, because they say people who hire day laborers usually do not pay taxes.

The protesters also contend that illegal immigrants wrongfully take advantage of public services, such as public schooling for their children and publicly funded health care.

The protesters -- some holding signs that said "No borders, No country" -- drew many honks of support and thumbs-up gestures from passers-by, including a city of Portland dump truck.

But they also drew many obscene remarks and boos from others who didn't agree with their message.

Lawrence Maushard of Southeast Portland pulled over to support the men who were waiting for work. Maushard shouted his sentiments at the protesters.

"All your families came from somewhere else," he said. "What's the difference -- a couple years? These are hard-working people. All they're doing is standing on the street, trying to get a job. You're racist! You're racist!"

The crowd of laborers erupted in cheers.

Five clergy from a Southeast Portland Catholic church also spent part of the morning supporting the laborers. "Sometimes laws here are not for the people," said Valerie Chapman, who was representing the St. Francis Parish.

Mike Forest, director of the Oregon Minuteman detachment, said the counter-protesters misunderstood his group's message. "It's not a race issue," Forest said. "There's English and Irish that have overstayed their visas. Legal immigrants, I support."

Aimee Green: 503-294-5915; aimeegreen@news.oregonian.com

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