More than 25 day laborers and organizers of the states of Washington and Oregon attended the second Northwest Day Laborers’ Conference at Reed College in Portland on June 23-25, 2007 which was coordinated by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

It was an exchange of experiences, celebration and everyone present felt the spirit of solidarity. Sharing, teaching and learning was the theme that arose during the meeting.

The assembly focused on the internal difficulty the day laborers face, especially those in Portland and Cornelius who fight tirelessly to maintain their corners before those who do not want their presence in front of businesses or residences.
The conference approached these themes: the analysis of the day laborer power, legislative analysis about immigration, how a bill is converted into a law, principal proposals, how a proposal would affect or benefit day laborers, how to lobby, rights and strategies about raids, how to better communicate regionally in order to strengthen the support, etc.

The Regional Convention humanized the day laborer worker through art and culture. During the talent evening, day laborers sang, recited poems and acted. The day laborers told other communities and the world that besides doing heavy and dirty work, they are singers, poets, and actors.

The day laborers gave a press conference in which they spoke against the bill that actually was discussed in the Senate because it would exclude a part of them. In order for this community of day laborers to support the proposal, there need to be substantial changes that go from the cost, reuniting family, the point system, guest worker programs, the prerequisite of having fulltime work among others. We, as day laborers, feel we are outside of the debate and the bill presented in the Senate does not approach our necessities. Instead of helping us, this bill would make our situation worse. There was conversation about the Del Monte raid which was covered by Channels 2, 6, and Univisión in Spanish which was seen at a national level. We visited local Congress members David Wu and Earl Blumenauer to talk with them about their support of a legalization that includes the day laborers. It was a total success!

For further information, check out http://detentionwatchnetwork.org/communitymaterials under "From Raids to Deportation, a Community Resource Kit."

Legal observers should:

• Assign roles to each observer: videographer and notetaker
• Bring a camera, video or still, a notebook, a cell phone, a contact list
• Use your three magic phrases:
  

  • 1. “I am here to observe, I do not intend to interfere.”
  • 2. “I do not consent to a search.”
  • 3. “Am I free to go?”

• Each note entry should begin with the time and location.
• Stay at least 10 feet away from the interaction, and do not distract the officer or the arrestee.
• If someone is arrested or abused, try and get their contact information and the contact information of any witnesses.
• You have the right to videotape the police and ICE, and do not have to give them your camera or your tapes.

1. Gather info on HOW ICE enforces the law: providing good hard facts (videos and notes) to lawyers– this is what is often lacking. Witnesses in immigrations cases are often deported, detained in unknown places, or afraid to testify: our data can fill this in.
2. Make careful notes to show if immigration officers have based their arrest on skin color, language, or name (see above). For example, if an agent spends 30 seconds on the corner before deciding to make an arrest/action, this is not enough time for them to have a legal probable cause. Questions relating to people's ethnicity, nationality, language, etc. are also tip-offs that should be noted.
3. Ask officers: "Do you have a warrant for this person's arrest?" This is good data to collect: ie, if 12 arrests occurred, none with warrants, we could point to a pattern of abuse.
4. If we have any evidence, lawyers can go to a judge before someone is removed to a detention center on the other side of the country, and say to the judge, ‘no, don’t move this person to another circuit. They have to have a trial.” Portland, in the 9th circuit, has better judges and this is one of our best options for intervening.
5. Teach day laborers the three magic phrases:

• “I do not consent to a search”
• “I do not wish to talk to you. I want to talk to a lawyer.”
  
• “Am I free to go?”
• These can be said in English or Spanish (ICE officers will probably speak Spanish). Saying these phrases might prevent officers from collecting information without probable cause— info is often collected by cops who are “fishing”—through “casual” conversations that give them the probable cause they need.

1. Just be there: arrests could be worse if there wasn't an observer there.
2. Unfortunately, violation of search and seizure laws by immigration officers can't be enforced. (Again, this is because immigration law is civil, not criminal, law.) Only in cases of outrageous behavior by federal agents (detaining people without food, etc) can you press charges against federal agents. (These charges, in the best cases, might lead to the suppression of evidence obtained under duress, etc).

On May 1, 2007, International Workers’ day, Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition held its second successful march for immigrant and workers’ rights. 6,000 people attended the rally, standing in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in other parts of the state and nation to demand an end to the inhumane treatment of immigrants in this country through just and comprehensive immigration reform. This is a crucial time for such political action: immigrants are being terrorized by raids; families are being seperated; workers’ rights are regularly violated. We hope that the rally on May 1st, and others like it, sent a powerful message to the lawmakers who are presently making decisions which will directly effect immigrant communities in the future. Voz thanks all who showed their support and commitment to the cause by attending the march on Tuesday, and all those who showed their support in other ways- all the volunteers who made flyers, ran ads, helped up to obtain march permits, helped with the security- your contribution makes a real difference to us! We hope you will continue to take political action- the struggle and movement are far from over!