The Pacific Green Party of Oregon supports a legislative idea, advanced by Pueblo Unido PDX, that would provide a framework for establishing a universal representation system to protect undocumented immigrants from unjust state authority, currently under review in Legislative Council.
Undocumented immigrants face a constant threat of unjust deportations from Immigration, Customs Enforcement. For this reason, immigrant rights proponents associated with the Fair Shot initiative want legislation that will ensure a fair hearing by requiring representation for the undocumented.
Without ‘fair hearing’ legislation, the Federal immigration authorities are able to act with impunity against those seeking asylum, and deny a fair hearing by denying process and opportunity to make their case.
It is especially notable and worrisome that many of the refugees seeking asylum are Black, Indigenous, or people of color, and they have faced increased immigration enforcement that includes racial profiling, detention, family separation, and potential removal to countries where they have fled violence and persecution.
Even Oregonians protected by DACA and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are still vulnerable to these inequitable processes. Only universal representation can ensure undocumented immigrants have a fair opportunity at asylum.
The PGP stands in solidarity with the objectives of the Fair Shot Agenda (https://www.fairshotoregon.org/), a coalition dedicated to social and economic justice.
“Guaranteeing universal representation is a basic humanitarian service that should be available to anyone within the USA; it isn’t for us to judge why someone is here seeking asylum; our job is to make sure people are treated fairly and with dignity,” said Charles Newlin, Pacific Green Party media contact.
“We encourage our members to write to their representatives to support this proposal,” said Newlin.
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