The ongoing, massive buildup of immigration policing, anti-immigrant sentiment, and the weaponization of our immigration court system has fueled an unprecedented deportation and detention crisis that is devastating immigrant families and immigrant communities of color in Oregon. It threatens the safety of our community and Oregon’s collective prosperity. Equity Corps of Oregon’s objective is to provide universal representation, which protects our communities by making sure that no individual has to face the risk of deportation alone. Equity Corps ultimately aims to end unjust and unfair deportations by providing access to an attorney and support services for every eligible Oregonian at risk of removal on account of immigration status.
The Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) program launched in October 2018 with funding from the City of Portland and Multnomah County. In June 2019, the State of Oregon provided $2 million in funding to expand the Equity Corps pilot. The funding covered services from October 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021. The City of Portland provided additional support for services for eligible individuals with $250,000 in funding from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021. In June 2021, the State of Oregon provided $2 million in funding for the period July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023. The City of Portland provided $2 million in funding through December 1, 2024. On March 23, 2022, the State of Oregon enacted a permanent fund called the Universal Representation Fund. See Senate Bill 1543 (2022 Regular Session), Oregon Laws 2022, Chapter 88. The legislation allocates $10.5 million in funding to Oregon Worker Relief for the purposes of providing universal representation, in addition to $4.5 million provided to the Oregon State Bar for similar purposes.
Question & Answer Sessions
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at OWR Team Leads Stand-Up (zoom link previously circulated)
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at OWR Team Leads Stand-Up
Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 3pm – 4pm pt. Email info@equitycorps.org to register and get the zoom-link.
Equity Corps of Oregon is an effort to facilitate universal representation so that every eligible Oregonian can defend against an unjust or unfair deportation or civic exclusion on account of immigration status. Through periodic outreach and facilitated workshops, ECO participants across the state and situated in different cultural communities can participate in, learn and share skills and knowledge that help improve successful individual and community outcomes.
Equity Corps of Oregon is an effort to facilitate universal representation so that every eligible Oregonian can defend against an unjust or unfair deportation or civic exclusion on account of immigration status. The capacitation grant supports CBOs in creating legal infrastructure (policies, protocols, practices, libraries, etc) and applying for recognition through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Recognition & Accreditation Program. It provides stipends to support training non-lawyer staff to be able to capably and competently provide affirmative and defensive immigration services. Through the capacitation of CBOs to support and provide legal services via the US DOJ Recognition/Accreditation program, more ECO participants will be served, thus improving overall individual and community outcomes.
ECO Immigration Court Specialty Clinic serves as a support for ECO participants in removal proceedings and, simultaneously, guiding and developing law students in immigration advocacy and court work through dedicated externships, internships, and similar field placements. The clinic works closely with the Oregon law schools.
Date Opens
January 12, 2023
Date Closes
February 3 , 2023 5.01pm pt
Apply
Email your application in PDF format to info@equitycorps.org.
Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) is an effort to facilitate universal representation so that every eligible Oregonian can defend against an unjust or unfair deportation or civic exclusion on account of immigration status. Through targeted outreach, ECO participants will be enrolled into ECO through legal navigations. This grant provides capacitation support for community-based organizations to navigate and support for individual navigations
OWR’s Equity Corps of Oregon program has established a Legal Services Fund that provides compensation to ECO-designated providers and reimbursements for certain expenses. The terms and conditions for use of the fund are outlined here.
OWR’s Equity Corps of Oregon program has established a Strategic & Technical Support Services program to support attorneys and accredited representatives in the ECO network in their representation of ECO participants. The program aims to bring a sense of community to the ECO network, and in so doing, sharpen the ability and resilience of all ECO practitioners in their client-facing work.
OWR’s Equity Corps of Oregon program has established a Panel Attorney Program to represent persons eligible for services. Panel Attorneys, known as ECO Providers, will be engaged to provide representation to individuals enrolled with ECO on their immigration cases.