Dear friends,
Legal Aid for Low-Income Immigrants Program is a vital program in Washington State that supports broad immigration legal assistance to Washington residents with no income or low income who are facing deportation proceedings or who are at high risk of being deported. We are grateful that this Program is included in all three proposed budgets–the Governor’s, House, and Senate. Thank you for your support in making this possible!
Right now, the Washington State Legislature is determining the next biennium budget for the program, and we need your help.
As you may have heard, the federal government recently cut critical funding that supports our work defending immigrant children (as young as toddlers) and youth in immigration court. Now more than ever, we must rely on the State of Washington’s stated commitment to our shared values to ensure that NWIRP can continue to meet the needs of the community. That’s why we are asking the State Senate to match the State House’s commitment of $18 million over two years for the Legal Aid program. Lawmakers have until April 27 to negotiate a final budget before the legislative session adjourns.
Even with the current support NWIRP and other legal services providers receive, only 35% of people in removal proceedings in Washington State are represented by legal counsel. The number of people with legal representation is even lower for persons who are detained in immigration custody at the Tacoma ICE detention center, one of the largest federal immigration detention centers in the country. And whether detained or not, immigrants residing in Washington State are also less likely to be granted relief from deportation compared to the national average.
Having legal representation in immigration court often determines the difference between a family staying together or being permanently separated.
Please help us by contacting your state legislators to thank them and also the Senate Ways & Means Committee and House Appropriations Committee to voice your support of this increased biennium request for the Legal Aid for Low-Income Immigrants Program.
Click here to access a message of support as well as links for sending this message to the appropriate fiscal committees.
In addition to your help with this important issue, we also hope you will join NWIRP and our partners in supporting additional budget increases to support immigrant communities in our state. An organizational sign-on letter: Immigrant Justice Budget Asks, is here.
At a time when immigrant communities and those who advocate for immigrant rights are under constant attack, we remain strong and are so appreciative of your support to ensure that Washington State remains a leader in not only protecting our immigrant community members, but also in providing vital financial assistance to ensure that access to legal counsel is possible for immigrant communities in our state.
Thank you for your support,
Malou Chávez (she/her/ella)
Executive Director
