Linfield’s MEChA club hosted two informational forums on Oct. 10 and 16 to inform the Linfield community about the consequences if Measure 88 is or is not passed.

“Real people are affected by this,” sophomore Gilberto Galvez said.

Sally Godard who works for the student health and wellness center and is an advocate to get Measure 88 passed, gave those in attendance on Oct. 11 some context about the measure.

Godard explained, “This is an issue of social justice … I am incredibly passionate for getting the ‘yes’ vote.”

MEChA’s two co-presidents, sophomores Gilberto Galvez and Raquel Escalera moderated the discussion portion of the event and helped introduce speakers that were there to share information and stories to the audience.

Oct. 14 was the last day to register to vote in Oregon.

“It is going to be a really tight race,” Godard said.

Godard wants people to be informed and to tell their friends about this important measure.

Godard explained, “Measure 88 is a direct consequence of 9/11.”

She continued to explain that since September 11, 2001 the government has decided to be more vigilant and restrictive on the privileges that people in the U.S. who live here but aren’t citizens get to have.

The Real ID Act of 2005 is responsible for the tightened scrutiny of who gets to have a driver’s license.

The purpose of the act was to prevent illegal immigrants who could potentially be terrorists from getting a driver’s license.

To get a driver’s license in a state that complied with the Real ID act meant that people who were applying for a license also needed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship not just proof of residency in that state, a birth certificate and social security card.

The state of Oregon complied with this act in 2008 causing many Hispanic residents to lose their license because of the implementation of the act.

According to Godard, if Measure 88 does not pass 80,000 people in Oregon will be unable to drive.

In 2013 the Safe Roads act was passed in Oregon, allowing for people that are qualified to drive but lack the legal proof to prove their identity and citizenship to obtain a driver’s card that doesn’t give them the same privileges as a driver’s license.

The driver’s card would need to be renewed every four years.

Those that would get a driver’s card would not be allowed to vote, buy a gun or receive any of the benefits of being a U.S. citizen.

There is a kink in the story in October 2013.

The Oregonians For Immigration Reform political organization thought that the citizens of Oregon should vote on this act and required a referendum process to happen which created Measure 88.

Senior Keyla Almazan explained how Oregonians For Immigration Reform’s campaign is affecting Measure 88.

“Oregonians For Immigration Reform actually want zero immigration to happen,” Almazan said.

Almazan pointed out that the Oregonians for Immigration Reform’s campaign makes it look like illegal aliens would be taking citizens jobs, attracting more illegal aliens to come and risk the threat of giving a driver’s card to a terrorist which are all false statements of what the driver’s card would do, according to Almazan.

Other speakers shared stories about how this measure affects their life as well as their friends.

Hispanic teenagers face the burden of having to learn how to drive as soon as they come of age because their parents have to rely on them since some parents have had their license revoked and can’t get a license because they weren’t born in the U.S. like their children.

This measure affects a large number of workers in the state as well as in Yamhill County since a lot of residents in the county are not all legal citizens.

“By not voting you are letting someone else decide,” said Maria Sandoval, a community member who came to advocate for support and awareness of Measure 88.

The largest challenge advocates for Measure 88 face is getting the purpose of the measure to voters who are unsure about it since the ones that are for it are the only ones that actually understand what it would do.

All of the speakers agreed that it will be a tight race, but if the measure isn’t passed it will affect the lives of many families all across Oregon.

The last day to cast a vote in Oregon is Nov. 4.