Carpenter organizer gets reprieve before deportation
José Cobián, better known to local
Carpenters as union organizer José
Luis Mendoza, won temporary free-
dom Jan. 23 when Federal Judge Anna
Brown declined to impose house arrest
in the weeks before his Feb. 13 immi-
gration hearing.
United States illegally. Cobián, 36, left
his native Colima, Mexico in 1989 to
take under-the-table construction jobs
in the Portland area. He taught himself
to speak fluent English, and in 1996
was able to obtain false documents,
which he used as the foundation to
As reported in the Nov. 17 NW La-
bor Press, staff at the Pacific North-
west Regional Council of Carpenters
were taken by surprise last August
when “Luis” was arrested and it came
to light that their co-worker of five
years had entered and worked in the
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Serving unions for over 25 years
every point in the gov-
build a life resembling that
ernment’s investigation,
of a citizen. He joined the
recommended the low-
union, became an organ-
est sentence within the
izer, married, had two
federal guidelines —
children, and bought a
house arrest. Judge
home in Molalla. All that
Brown went further,
unraveled last year when
questioning what useful
federal agents showed up
purpose house arrest
at his house.
would serve if Cobián is
Cobián pled guilty in
due to be deported any-
September to passport
way. She sentenced Co-
fraud and was released on
bián to three years pro-
bail pending sentencing.
JOSÉ COBIÁN
bation instead.
Because he was legally un-
It was an emotional
able to work, his union co-
moment for Cobián and two dozen
workers stepped forward with dona-
supporters from the Carpenters who
tions to support him and his family.
His wife Maria de Rosario Lucio, who filled the courtroom. Brown said she’d
was visiting from Mexico on a tempo- watched the DVD, and told Cobián he
rary visa when they met, had been able was fortunate to have so many people
to remain in the United States because standing by him.
The judge asked Cobián if he had
of his supposed citizenship status; now
anything to say.
that is due to be cancelled as well.
“I did something wrong,” Cobián
Leading up to his sentencing, Co-
bián’s supporters in the union appealed said, “and I’m deeply sorry for that,
especially because it hurt so many
to Judge Brown for leniency, with let-
ters and a DVD of videotaped testimo- people, including my family and co-
workers. It’s something I want to teach
nials.
my kids: If you lie, you’ve got to ac-
“I have found him to be a dedi-
cated, loyal and hardworking advocate cept the consequences.”
For Cobián, the consequences will
for the working class … [who] stood
almost certainly be a return to Mexico
up against the exploitation of workers
and ban from ever coming back to the
in a very public way,” wrote Pacific
United States. Cobián and his union
Northwest Regional Council of Car-
supporters hope he will be allowed to
penters President Bruce Dennis.
depart voluntarily with his family
“While he may have violated some of
rather than be deported under custody.
the laws of this country, I feel he has
Eight-year-old Alexis Mendoza and
embraced the democratic spirit of
her four-year-old brother Dante are
America.”
U.S. citizens by birthright, and have
Cobián could have been sentenced
never been to Mexico. Cobián is trying
to a prison term of six months to two
to sell his home, and hopes to use the
years for the passport violation. But
proceeds to repay his co-workers for
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kemp Strick-
their support.
land, saying Cobián was not consid-
Unlike the federal civil case against
ered a flight risk and had cooperated at
him, Cobián’s Feb. 13 immigration
hearing won’t be open to the public.
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