But new stats released last week show that both locally and nationwide, Secure Communities has been used less to deport high-level criminals than to deport immigrants who committed no crime other than crossing the border illegally. Of those who were convicted of crimes before being deported, the vast majority are low-level offenses such as, for example, not paying MAX fare.
Romeo Sosa, director of Portland day laborer rights’ group VOZ, says Secure Communities has made the immigrant community itself less secure. There have been high-profile cases in other states of illegal immigrants reporting crimes only to wind up facing deportation themselves. “People, they don’t trust the police anymore. They cannot report any crime or fight,” says Sosa. “If there is domestic violence, some women are afraid to call police.”
So how does Multnomah County compare to the rest of the state and country? Stats below the cut.
National Deportations: 94,000
Charged with High-Level Crime: 26 percent
Noncriminal: 29 percentOregon Deportations: 411
Charged with High-Level Crime: 30 percent
Noncriminal: 35 percentClackamas County Deportations: 86
Charged with High-Level Crime: 36 percent
Noncriminal: 31 percentMultnomah County Deportations: 78
Charged with High-Level Crime: 29 percent
Noncriminal: 38 percent