ECO is part of Oregon Worker Relief
Equity Corps of Oregon is proud to be part of Oregon Worker Relief. The Oregon Worker Relief Coalition is a statewide network of community-based organizations dedicated to providing assistance to immigrant Oregonians excluded from federal and state safety-net programs.
Oregon Worker Relief is a registered Oregon nonprofit. Multiple organizations are members and participate in the organization’s operations.
ECO was initially created to serve immigrant Oregonians who were at risk of deportation or in removal proceedings and could not afford legal services to help them fight their removal. In 2022, Oregon Worker Relief, in collaboration with many community based organizations, nonprofits and legal service providers fought for an expansion of ECO to create a more equitable and inclusive program.
Universal Representation (SB1543) successfully passed the Oregon legislature in 2022 to create a permanent statewide Universal Navigation and Representation program which embeds access to justice in community. As part of Oregon Worker Relief, ECO is now a collaborative of community-based organizations, nonprofits, and attorneys working to provide Universal Legal Representation to all immigrants in Oregon.
Oregon Worker Relief Program
Oregon Worker Relief provides direct support to immigrant Oregonians who are facing:
- Lost work and wages due to COVID-19
- Extreme heat, smoke and other climate disasters
- Complex immigration system
- Eviction and the housing crisis
Defending Everyone
Funding allocated through SB 1543 in 2022 has been critical in building an effective statewide Universal Representation system:
- When new immigrant Oregonians have arrived to our state, Universal Representation has been able to help them navigate the complex immigration system, providing services that are critical to folks fleeing violence, persecution and extreme poverty.
- Universal Representation has successfully launched detained legal services and prevented the deportation of 11 hard-working Oregonians in the last quarter.
- A centralized statewide call center has been created to provide immigrant Oregonians with updates on their active cases.
With the creation of infrastructure for an effective statewide Universal Representation system, consistent funding is critical to guarantee the program’s ability to provide quality legal services to immigrant Oregonians.
