ASSOCIATED PRESS

December 3, 2005

Illegal immigrant jobs protested in Woodburn

WOODBURN, Ore. -- About 50 people protested at a mobile Mexican Consulate office on Saturday, claiming the Mexican government and Oregon officials are making it easier for illegal immigrants to live and find work in the state.

A much larger counterdemonstration was held across the street, requiring police to keep the two groups separate.

The consulate offers a monthly program that brings services to Mexican citizens living in rural Oregon. Joined by several Oregon state agencies, the program is designed to provide Mexican nationals with information on jobs, paying taxes or starting a small business.

The Mexican consulate also issues matricular identification cards at these events, which are used for travel to Mexico or in Oregon as proof of residency to open a bank account or get a driver's license.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform, which organized the protest, said the identification cards simply encourage illegal immigrants.

Rick Hickey, vice president of the group, said members do not oppose immigration — they just want to make sure it is done legally.

His group carried signs that read: "Lawless government in action here" and "Illegal immigration is a crime"

He said that banners carried by about 500 counterprotesters were upsetting, including one that read: "No minutemen, no KKK, no fascist USA."

"It really bothers me that they think this is a racial issue," Hickey said. "They keep avoiding the subject of the law."

The large crowd of farmworker supporters greeted people seeking services from the mobile consulate and encircled them as they waited in line across the street from the smaller group organized by Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

About 15 Woodburn police officers parked their cars between the two demonstrations, closed off sidewalks and maintained a visible presence during the visit by the mobile consulate to the offices of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste.

Ramon Ramirez, president of PCUN, kept counterprotesters moving around the block and discouraged them from interacting with the smaller crowd of demonstrators across the street.

Cindy Chan, 34, was among those supporting the farmworkers. She said she believes everyone should get the same chance her family did. "My grandparents came here seeking a better life," the Portland woman said. "Everyone should have that opportunity."

Officials with the Mexican consulate expressed gratitude for the community's turnout.

"We are grateful to see the community's support for the workers," said Martn Alcal Salgado, Mexico's deputy consul in Oregon. "It's a recognition of their labor and shows that these people are valued."