On May Day, thousands of Oregonians will continue a yearly tradition of rallying in support of immigrant communities across the state.
Oregon Food Bank is helping to organize events in Salem and Ontario and is calling on state leaders to offer access to food assistance for all residents, regardless of their immigration status.
Janet Orozco Ortiz, community organizer for Oregon Food Bank, said although Oregon relies on immigrant labor to grow much of the food in the state, many still do not have enough food themselves.
“With the current climate of ICE in our state, it’s very difficult for folks to continue doing this important work,” Orozco Ortiz explained. “I really encourage folks to take action, because it’s more important now than ever to show the support for our immigrant communities.’
Nearly 3,000 Oregonians, including refugees and approved asylum-seekers, have lost SNAP eligibility because of H.R. 1, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Orozco Ortiz said all are welcome to join May Day events and hopes people leave feeling empowered to take further action.
In just two years, visits to the Oregon Food Bank Network rose more than 50%, reaching a record 2.9 million visits last year. The network noted the numbers were collected before major cuts to SNAP benefits started.
Orozco Ortiz added the food bank was a leader in the Food for All Oregonians campaign, which would have allowed some undocumented people to qualify for food benefits similar to SNAP but did not pass this session.
“If we introduce these bills and they get passed, then we are a step closer to ending hunger,” Orozco Ortiz contended. “It also alleviates a lot of the pressure on our food pantries.”
Rallying for immigrant rights on May Day has become a tradition in the state since 2006, when the first major mobilization was organized by PCUN, Oregon’s farmworker union.
Info provided by Oregon News Service
