1995-1996

CAUSA was founded in the fall of 1995 focused on defeating anti-immigrant ballot measures then being prepared for circulation to Oregon voters.  The measures were patterned after California's Proposition 187 and sought to deny benefits, driving privileges, and public education to undocumented persons, and to deputize public officials, police and educators as immigration agents.  The proponents failed to qualify any of the initiatives for the November 1996 ballot, in part due to CAUSA's efforts to educate the public on their true premises and impacts.

1998

Initiative proponents submitted two of the four measures for the 1998 ballot and were also defeated.

1999

In 1999 CAUSA defeated attempts by the Oregon legislature to pass an English Only Bill and a Bill similar to Prop 209 (anti-affirmative action) in California.

2000

In May of 2000 CAUSA celebrated a major victory by putting pressure on the State of Oregon to end a harsh time limit on receipt of food stamps by under and unemployed adults. 

2001

In March and April of 2001, CAUSA defeated an attempt to end bilingual education in Oregon by mobilizing hundreds of people.

Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, CAUSA launched a major organizing effort to defend the immigrants from a series of policies, measures and laws attacking the immigrant community in the name of homeland security.

2003

CAUSA was a key partner in the 2003 Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride, organizing a bus from Portland, Oregon to travel to New York City and Washington, DC in support of just immigration reform.

In the Oregon State legislature, we defended the annual cost-of-living increase for Oregon’s minimum wage, immigrants’ access to a driver’s license and worked alongside Oregon’s farmworker union PCUN to defeat an anti-farmworker collective bargaining bill.  In a coalition spearheaded by the ACLU, we preserved the Oregon statute that prohibits local police from collaborating with immigration authorities.

2004

In 2004, CAUSA worked in conjunction with Latinos Unidos Siempre to make major advances in the DREAM campaign, which would grant legal status to undocumented immigrant students, by organizing a week-long fast and actions throughout the state.

2005

In 2005, CAUSA worked with allies to beat back over 18 anti-immigrant/anti-worker bills in the Oregon State Legislature, again preserving immigrants’ access to a driver’s license, the annual increase to the minimum wage, and defeating anti-farmworker legislation.

In summer of 2005, we co-organized with the Rural Organizing Project and Oregon Action a 55-mile Walk for Truth, Justice, and Community from Salem to Portland, Oregon.

2006

In spring of 2006, CAUSA worked with local groups and coalitions to organize over 15 marches in 7 cities, where cumulatively over 65,000 people marched against H.R. 4437, or the “Sensenbrenner bill” which proposed criminalizing undocumented immigrants and anyone who helps them.

CAUSA participated in the launch of “Democracy Summer” which seeks to advance immigrant civic participation and register eligible voters for election day 2006 and beyond.