Immigration

 

Myths and Facts About Immigration

As the Trump administration doubles the rate of deportations of undocumented workers (after Obama had deported more than any previous president) and cities like Portland and campuses like PSU declare themselves “sanctuaries” to protect our most vulnerable residents, PSU Rapid Response offers some basic talking points. We hope these facts will assist our members in confronting bigots and educating the misinformed.

The following are excerpted from “They take our jobs! and 20 other myths about immigrants” by Aviva Chomsky (2007).

• Myth #1 – Immigrants take American jobs.FACT – Automation and corporations relocating in pursuit of cheap, vulnerable workers are the real job stealers. States with high immigrant populations have lower unemployment rates.
• Myth #2 – Unions oppose immigration because it harms the working class.FACT – “Politicians who scapegoat and demonize immigrants and unions have no place in our halls of power, and they can expect to hear from our members in the streets and at the polls.” – AFL-CIO Executive Council Statement, July 30, 2015
• Myth #3 – Immigrants are a drain on the economy.FACT – Immigrants are more likely to pay taxes than they are to use public services. The majority of immigrants, being of prime working age and ineligible for many public services, contribute more to the public sector than they use.
• Myth #4 – The rules apply to everyone, so new immigrants need to follow them just as immigrants in the past did.FACT – “The rules” generally refer to conditions permitting open immigration of white Europeans from 1880 – World War 1. “The rules” have always been different for people of color, regardless of whether they were African, Asian, or from Central and Latin America.
• Myth #5 – The country is being overrun by illegal immigrants.FACT – Only 5% of all workers in the US are unauthorized migrants; they constitute 19% of workers in agriculture, 13% in construction, 9% of workers in leisure/hospitality industries and 6% of manufacturing workers.
• Myth #6 – The United States has a generous refugee policy.FACT – The vast majority of the 3 million refugees admitted to the US since 1945 have been from just three countries: Cuba, Viet Nam and the Soviet Union. For the US, “refugee” has meant “refugee from communism,” not refugee from war, devastation or repression.
• Myth #7 – Today’s immigrants are not learning English and bilingual education just adds to the problem.FACT – Today’s Spanish-speaking immigrants are learning English as quickly as earlier generations of European immigrants, but they are also retaining their native language more than Europeans did. Research shows that developing academic skills in a student’s native language supports their acquiring English.
• Myth #8 – The American public opposes immigration.FACT – Despite fearmongering, scapegoating and threats of a “really great wall” on the part of some politicians, 2015 polling confirms that a solid majority of Americans believe that immigrants strengthen our country rather than being a burden or threat.
• Myth #9 – Immigrants threaten our nation with terrorist attacks.FACT – The causes of terrorism are complex, but there is no evidence that increased immigration increases terrorism, and there is ample evidence that undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit an act of mass violence or terrorism than are US citizens.
• Myth #10 – If people break our laws by immigrating illegally, they are criminals and should be deported.FACT – Immigrants “break the law” because the law does not grant equal rights to all. Undocumented immigrants do not cause harm or even potential harm; they commit victimless “crimes” because of who they are.

ICE Accompaniments, Protests, Rallies, and Interruptions

Location: The Macadam ICE Detention Facility is located at 4310 SW Macadam Avenue.

How to get there: Take the N-S Streetcar south from campus. Get off where the line turns around, at SW Lowell and Bond. Follow Moody (the street to the right as you exit the car) left until it ends (2 blocks). The large gated white building to the right of the defunct railroad tracks is your destination.

Streetcars are free for PSU faculty, staff, and students with their PSU ID. Trip should take no more than 15 minutes once the train starts moving. More information about the PSU transportation program can be found on PSU’s website, and a map of streetcar lines can be found here.

Treat it like a protest: These events at Macadam ICE facility involve a great deal of standing, chanting, holding signs, and generally drawing attention to the fact that immigrants are being unfairly targeted.

Things to bring: sunscreen, hat, water, weather-appropriate clothing, anti-ICE/anti-racist/pro-immigrant signs, bullhorns

Things to leave behind: laptops, cell phones, detailed plans, backpacks – basically anything you don’t want cops to keep. There is no certainty that you will get back anything seized.

Involvement level and warnings: Everyone is valuable and welcome. That said, ICE are federal law enforcement; the presence of officers from other federal departments (e.g., Homeland Security) and local law enforcement (e.g., Portland Police Bureau) is not only possible but likely. Witnesses are likely (but not certain) to avoid arrest. Protesters have less assurance, while those who attempt to directly disrupt definitely risk arrest. Those who feel too endangered to attend are encouraged to spread *accurate* information and/or academic and other thoughtfully written information pieces about immigration/deportation/impact/etc. to help people understand and get on board.

Even small actions tend to attract media attention. You may be photographed by reporters without realizing it.

If you are interested in doing more than witnessing (which is valuable in and of itself), find the protest leaders and/or contact us separately for inclusion in planning roles.

Sanctuary Cities

Definition: A college or universit y that provides a safe space for undocumented students, comingfrom the idea of a sanctuary city.
PSU has taken a public stance as a sanctuary campus. The statements of two PSU presidents arebelow (see bolded text specifically):

Message from current PSU President Shoureshi:
“Ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will have serious
consequences for our students at Portland State University. These DACA students known as “dreamers,” came to Oregon as children of undocumented parents. The federal program, which is renewable every two years, has enabled them to attend college and work without fear of deportation. Ending the DACA program would upend their lives and the lives of their families.

I want to reaffirm PSU’s commitment to our students and their families. We provide academic, cultural and social support and resources at PSU through a wide array of programs such as Latino Student Services, Casa Latina, Student Legal Services and others. Under Oregon law, qualified undocumented residents are eligible to attend PSU and other public universities across the state with in-state tuition and receive financial assistance. Those programs will continue.

I also want to reaffirm that PSU is a sanctuary—a safe place—for all of our students. The Campus Public Safety Office does not enforce federal immigration laws, we will not consent to immigration enforcement activities on campus and we protect confidential student information, such as immigration status, as required by law. PSU will do its best not to disrupt the education of our students, and we will continue to support them in their efforts toward obtaining their PSU degree.

As the academic year approaches, we will do everything we can to make all of our students feel safe and welcome regardless of their national origin or immigration status. We also will work diligently in the coming weeks to support legislation in Congress to retain this crucial program.

You belong at PSU, and together, we are Portland State University.”
Message from former PSU President Wiewel:
“We as a community share a commitment to the protection and support of all of our students, regardless of immigration status, national origin, religion or any similar characteristics. Therefore, we declare that Portland State University is a sanctuary campus dedicated to the principles of equity, diversity and safety.

In recent days, concerns have been raised by some students, faculty and other members of the University community regarding possible immigration law changes and the potential impacts of such changes on our students. In particular, concerns have been raised regarding the safety and well-being of our undocumented students and those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Although we don’t know what the future may hold, PSU is a sanctuary campus for its students. That means:

-The Portland State University Campus Public Safety Office does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws as is required by state law.

-Portland State University will not facilitate or consent to immigration enforcement activities on our campus unless legally compelled to do so or in the event of clear exigent circumstances such as an imminent risk to the health or safety of others.

-Portland State University will not share confidential student information, such as immigration status, with the federal government unless required by court order.

Together, I ask that we reaffirm our unequivocal commitment to each other. All Portland State students, regardless of national origin or immigration status, should be welcome, safe and able to pursue their higher education as full members of the PSU family. That is who we are as a university and that is who we must remain.”

 

We enthusiastically endorse the spirit of these declarations. We also recognize their limitations—that is, that the human rights of immigrants (no matter their documents), Muslims, and other groups have been targeted specifically by law. We therefore cannot rely on PSU administration to protect vulnerable students, faculty, and community members as a first order concern. We must undertake these tasks ourselves as a matter of community defense.