Story by Pete Shaw Federal judge Janice Stewart ordered the release of immigrant justice activist Francisco Aguirre on November 7, one day after his arrest. Aguirre, who had been taking sanctuary, in Augustana Lutheran Church since September 19, was arrested by federal agents for alleged “illegal entry” in the US while appearing in Clackamas County…
Category: News & Current Events
Community Activist Emerges from Sanctuary, Feds Move in to Arrest
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw Francisco Aguirre, the community leader and immigrant justice activist who has been taking sanctuary in Augustana Lutheran Church since September 19, was arrested yesterday. Aguirre was taken into custody inside the Clackamas County Courthouse on a warrant for “illegal entry”, issued through collaboration between the US Attorney’s Office of…
Roosevelt Community Group Suing For Equity in School Program Design
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw A community group based in North Portland has filed a complaint with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights declaring that Portland Public Schools (PPS) “approved a discriminatory plan for the major remodel of a high school in a lower-income, minority white neighborhood of Portland, Oregon.” The…
Plight of Local Activist Mirrors Nationwide Immigration Siege Mentality
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Story by Pete Shaw Supporters of Francisco Aguirre gathered outside the Portland Field Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) the day after USCIS cancelled the activist’s visa appointment. Aguirre has been taking sanctuary in Augustana Lutheran Church since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials showed up at his home on the morning…
Movement to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 Keeps Growing; Activists Demand Change to State Law
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Story by Pete Shaw “I’m here, and I’m tired, and I’m speaking out with all the strength that I have. We need 15 now.” Those words, spoken by Janice Niag, a First Student bus driver, demanding changes to the City’s Fair Wage Policy summed up the feeling at SEIU Local 49 Hall on October 20.…
Community Church Providing Sanctuary for Immigrant Rights Activist Francisco Aguirre Fighting Threatened ICE Deportation
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Story by Pete Shaw Francisco Aguirre became alarmed when 12 federal agents appeared at his Fairview, OR home at 7 AM on September 19. They refused to state the purpose for their visit, but, when pressed, the lead agent said it had something to do with Aguirre’s business. Aguirre found it suspicious that a dozen…
Activists Protest Smart Track–Wyden’s Rebranding of Fast Track
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw Portland and Eugene activists disguised in Groucho Marx glasses and mustaches turned in over 3000 signatures to Senator Ron Wyden’s office to demand Wyden cease the undemocratic processes found in Fast Track legislation. Fast Track, which is used to ease the way for passage of trade agreements such as…
Artesia, New Mexico Ground Zero for Inhuman Treatment of Asylum Seekers
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Story by Pete Shaw In recent weeks there has been widespread media coverage of the plight of refugee children entering the US after fleeing violence in Central America. While those numbers had been steadily increasing over the past few years, they jumped to crisis levels a few months ago. Despite its obligations under international law…
Activists Call for Moratorium on Retaliation Against Refugee Children
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Story by Pete Shaw Since last October over 57,000 unaccompanied children have been detained while crossing the Mexico-US border. About 75% of them are fleeing violence in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, countries where US foreign policy elements such as so-called free trade agreements and the drug war have often resulted in corrupt and brutal…
Gaza Atrocities Called Out
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Story by Pete Shaw They have names. Mohammad ‘Atwa Khattab. Hasan Abdul-Majid al-Bayyoumi. Arwa Mahmoud Dheir. You might not know that from the corporate media’s coverage of Israel’s assault on the people of Gaza. But they do have names. Maha Raed Abu Suleiman. Ismael Shahin. Marwa Ahmad Abu Amer. Ahlam No’man Zo’rob. Their names…
