Chair Prozanski, Vice-Chair Thatcher, and Members of the Committee,
My name is Tyler Mac Innis, Policy Analyst for the Oregon Center for Public Policy, and I respectfully submit this testimony in support of SB 627 on behalf of the Center.
The Oregon Center for Public Policy is a think tank dedicated to improving the economic outcomes for all Oregonians, particularly low-income families and Oregonians of color, through research and analysis.
SB 627 would invest much needed resources to support Oregon’s Universal Representation system, a system which helps ensure Oregonians are not wrongly removed from their jobs, families, and communities. Communities across our state suffer and are destabilized when parents, children, neighbors, and essential workers are unfairly removed.
Deportations harm Oregon’s economy. Undocumented immigrants contribute to the economy as workers, business owners, consumers, and taxpayers. No industry is more at risk than Oregon’s $4.5 billion agriculture industry, where undocumented workers make up nearly half of the workforce. Moreover, our research has found that deportation reduces consumer demand and undermines the financial stability of Oregon households.
The Universal Representation system advances due process and equitable access to justice. With continued funding, Universal Representation will defend Oregonians from deportation and protect our collective prosperity.
We urge you to support SB 627.
