Participants were educated on immigration enforcement policies and procedures. (Photo: Rich Iwasaki)
By Portland JACL
The Portland JACL, in collaboration with Tsuru for Solidarity and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, conducted a “Know Your Rights” training session on Jan. 10 at the Oregon Buddhist Temple.
The training, which informed participants on how to respond to immigration enforcement, featured speakers John Kodachi, attorney and past president of JACL’s Portland chapter; Eric Gold of the Immigrant Rights Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America; and Kenneth Kreucher, attorney and director of the Oregon Innocence Project.
“The program helped to educate the audience about our past, present and future immigration laws and enforcement actions,” said Kodachi. “With DHS’s recent stated goal of deporting 100 million from America, or about one-third of the country, the audience learned the importance of knowing their Constitutional rights, regardless of their immigration status, as enforcement actions ramp up under a well-funded ICE agency. I think the audience was surprised to learn that even citizenship does not necessarily provide refuge from ICE as the government seeks to denaturalize 100-200 U.S. citizens each month.”
In addition, the more than 65 participants were educated on the history of immigration enforcement and what is happening across the country today, what the law says your rights are and how you should respond.
Key highlights: “If you are detained and not allowed to leave by ICE agents, you have the right to remain silent and the right to speak to an attorney, regardless of your immigration status. And if ICE agents seek to enter your private home or private work areas, you have the right to refuse them entry unless they have a judicial warrant that is signed by a judge. ICE agents often show an administrative warrant signed by an immigration officer as a way to enter a private area.”
Said one participant, “Immigration has become more aggressive in the past year, and we need to be prepared because most of us look like we don’t belong.”
