ICE activities in and around Oregon’s courthouses continue to present barriers to access to the legal system by immigrant workers. ICE agents, often in plain clothes, continue to detain persons they suspect of being without documents on and around Oregon’s courthouses, disrupting court proceedings and spreading fear in the immigrant community of attending court proceedings. This practice is interfering with equal access to the justice system. Workers are avoiding appearing at court to attend hearings, access court services such as restraining orders, or assert civil claims.
In December, NWJP joined a number of other community organizations in petitioning Oregon Chief Justice Martha Walters to issue a trial court rule prohibiting civil arrests on courthouse grounds or when coming to, or leaving from, court hearings. Such an order would be based upon a traditional common law right that has been recognized by the Oregon Supreme Court and upon the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Justice Walters met with petitioners and requested additional information about immigrant experience of ICE detention practices.
While she has not yet acted upon our petition, Chief Justice Walters has written to ICE to request a meeting to discuss this matter. Individuals who are concerned about this issue are encouraged to respectfully contact Justice Walters to share their experiences and concerns.
To help push this campaign forward, we are supporting an action on Monday at the Washington County Courthouse urging the Chief Justice to issue the order. Details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/375583916435228/