CLOSED FOR A CAUSE.

Byline: Susan Palmer The Register-Guard

When Samuel Recinos, co-owner of the Plaza Latina, got a letter from his employees last week asking if they could have today off, it put him in a tight spot.

With no employees, he'd have to close his doors for the day, a decision that would cost thousands of dollars. And he said closing the store so his largely Latino work force could attend immigration reform rallies might send a message to his Anglo customers that he employs illegal workers, or that he supports illegal immigration, neither of which is true.

"It put us in a very difficult position," Recinos said.

But after talking with other Latino business owners, Recinos decided to close his popular grocery store today.

"I have really good employees," he said. "And it's important to support them."

Expect a day of rallies and protests around the country as Latino workers walk off jobs and boycott stores in a one-day effort to show their economic impact on the country.

Many employers - from Oklahoma meat packers to Los Angeles grocers - who rely on immigrant workers have said they'll close today so their crews can participate in immigration reform rallies.

In Oregon, farm, restaurant and hotel trade groups are calling for a moderate response from their members as they wait to see how the day will unfold.

At the Oregon Association of Nurseries, more than a dozen nursery owners have called with concerns about what to do if they have widespread walkouts, said Jeff Stone, director of government relations.

"We're reminding them that as employers they need to treat requests for time off in a consistent manner ... They should use whatever the policies have been," he said.

"Because employment law can be complex, we want them to work with their employees as much as possible."

At the Oregon Restaurant Association, some calls have come in from restaurant owners who have heard news reports about today's rallies, communications manager Elizabeth Peters said.

But restaurants are used to planning flexible schedules and don't expect to have problems if some workers take the day off, she said.

The Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, in an April 14 memo, suggested that dairy owners respect workers who want to participate.

"Let them have as much time off as possible," the memo recommends. "We would encourage you as an employer to show support."

Immigration reform activists in Lane County have called for a rally today at the federal courthouse.

Previous demonstrations there and at the University of Oregon have drawn hundreds of participants. Demonstrations in Salem and Portland are expected to draw thousands today.

To counter the rallies, those who want tougher immigration policies are calling for a "shop till you drop" day, said Jim Ludwick, president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

In recent months, Congress has wrestled with the issue.

The House passed a bill in December toughening penalties against illegal immigrants and those who hire them. The bill also calls for a 700-mile fence along the border with Mexico.

Last month, the Senate debated a bill that would increase border security but also would put in place guest worker options and an amnesty program for those already in the country. And last week, President Bush asked the Senate to continue working on the issue and expressed support for a guest worker program.

But such an approach frustrates those who support the House's get-tough solution, said retired police officer Michael Armstrong, a Lakeside resident who says he will definitely be shopping today.

Armstrong, who has participated in border observation activities with the group known as the Minutemen, said the United States has workable immigration laws that the government doesn't have the resolve to enforce.

"It's an invasion," he said. "People are coming across the border in droves."

Armstrong said he watched Mexicans cross the border into Arizona during the 10 days he spent with the Minutemen in October.

He saw football field-sized mounds of garbage where illegal immigrants dumped backpacks and water bottles after crossing into the United States, he said.

"I would be in favor of boycotting businesses that go out and seek illegal labor because they hurt the businesses trying to hire citizens and pay the prevailing wage," he said.

In Eugene, Brenda Ostrom thinks the government should immediately start deporting illegal immigrants who take jobs away from teenagers and young adults.

And she's angry with those who support illegal immigrants.

"They act like they're all humanitarian. That's a crock. They are undermining the work force," she said.

Ostrom said she wishes her son and son-in-law, who are serving in the Army in Iraq, could be returned to the United States to protect the nation's borders.

"I'm appalled that other countries have better border security than our own," she said.

But opinions here span the spectrum, and many area residents would like to see some accommodation for migrant workers.

Nilcea Marques, a Brazilian artist and permanent resident who expects to become a citizen this year, said she supports some kind of amnesty for undocumented workers, even though she herself went through appropriate legal channels - a 10-year process - to obtain citizenship.

As a student at the UO and Lane Community College, Marques said she's been too busy to follow the congressional debate closely.

Still, she said she understands the desire for a secure border.

"It is a tense moment for both sides, I think," she said.

Ramon Galvan, an Argentinian who became a U.S. citizen in the 1960s through appropriate legal channels, would like to see a guest worker program for those doing work no one else is signing up for.

But he says he doubts politicians will move beyond easy sound bites to actually form a functional immigration policy.

"It's just a convenient wedge issue," he said.

IMMIGRATION RALLY

When/where: 4 p.m. today, federal courthouse, Seventh Avenue and Pearl Street in Eugene

Information: 688-7376