Peaceful protests don't stop immigrant program

Statesman Journal
INDEPENDENCE -- Protesters peacefully carried signs and sang ballads about the blight of illegal immigration Saturday during an event put on by the Mexican government.

Meanwhile, employees from the Mexican Consulate for Oregon, along with representatives from several Oregon state departments, were undaunted as they provided documents and resources to the more than 200 Mexican nationals who arrived at Henry Hill Elementary School.

Protesters, organized by Oregonians for Immigration Reform, decried the state's participation in the event.

Among the services offered at the daylong event were matricular consular cards, Mexican birth certificates to children born in Oregon and information about paying taxes, receiving health care and getting a driver's license in the state.

"We're not protesting the Mexican consul general, but the state agencies, especially the Oregon Department of Employment," said The president of OFIR, Jim Ludwick. "Why are they here?"

"They are selling drugs to our kids and raping our kids," said Daniel Miglavs of Sherwood. "Our public officials, our state employees, are in there right now aiding and abetting them."

He defended his statement by waving a stack of papers that showed the high rate of incarceration for Hispanics in Oregon.

"They're disproportionately committing crimes versus the general public," Miglavs said. "It really is an underlying crime syndicate."

The peaceful tone of the morning was momentarily interrupted by a man who drove past the school in a convertible jeep blaring the Mexican dance tune, "Juana la Cubana."

Mexico's Consul General for Oregon, Fernando Sánchez Ugarte, said this is the fourth time that the outreach program has drawn protesters.

"There's no point," he said about the demonstration. "Our activity is necessary to help these people. What we're doing is peaceful and legal."
Sánchez said there is no plan to eliminate or scale back the program, quite the contrary.
"Next year, we'll be increasing the number of events," he said. "There's a lot of demand."
Sánchez said that the consulate rented the school for $150 and brought its own equipment.

At one point, a group of curious neighbors walked to the school when they saw the picket signs.
"This is a disgrace," said Bridgett Currier, 20. "They just come here to make a living for their family. Why can't we just live in peace?"
Noe Nuñez, 21, shook his head.
"I've never seen anything like this," he said about the protesters. "This surprises me a lot and shows me what kind of people live in my community."
As for the Mexican citizens who showed up for services, most seemed unfazed.

"We're only here to work," said Raul Aguirre, 29, who lives in Eugene. "But, wherever we go, there are people like this."