Talk draws bead on immigration reform

Conversation - Most at the Forest Grove forum favor a way for others to enter the country legally

By Nancy Townsley

The Forest Grove News-Times, Nov 14, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

Chase Allgood / News-Times

Lucinda Hites-Clabaugh of Forest Grove was one of many at the forum who support immigration reform.

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For Joelle Rickard, the issue of immigration is an intensely personal one.

Eight years ago, the Fern Hill Elementary School teacher married Mexico native Salvador Paz. It took a year, she said, to get her new spouse into the United States.

“If people wonder why these folks don’t wait in line (to immigrate), it’s because there is no line,” said Rickard, who teaches reading and English language development at the Forest Grove school. “They just come, because otherwise there’s no hope.”

Rickard was one of about 45 people who showed up in Forest Grove Monday night to engage in a conversation about immigration, sponsored by the West County Council for Human Dignity and several other agencies.

Panelists and participants – some from as far away as Oregon City and Scappoose – covered everything from guest workers to green cards during the two-hour forum, held at the United Church of Christ downtown.

“We’ve advocated for a long time that people should have conversations about difficult issues rather than yell at each other,” said Cornelius resident and civil rights attorney Michael Dale, who said more forums would be held in the future.

Dale got the session rolling by laying out a dozen or so issues related to immigration, including whether undocumented workers place an undue burden on U.S. social services.

“Here’s the straight scoop – most immigrants, legal or illegal, aren’t eligible for most social service programs like Medicaid and welfare,” Dale said.

Dale estimated that 12 million to 13 million undocumented immigrants, most from Mexico, are currently living in this country.

One man, who arrived late to the forum and declined to be identified, said his research placed the figure at nearly 38 million.

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