Dear friends,
Over the past month, immigrants have faced constant attacks from the federal government, including unprecedented violations of their constitutional rights. Students are being apprehended by plain clothed officers for exercising their First Amendment rights, asylum seekers have been deported to third countries in violation of due process rights, and more and more community members are being held in immigration detention centers across the United States. Additionally, the government is now terminating contracts with organizations like NWIRP – limiting our capacity to serve unaccompanied children facing deportation.
In the midst of this difficult time, we need your support in order to continue fighting back against these injustices. While this newsletter has many important updates on our current work – we hope you can also join us in person for NWIRP’s most critical fundraiser of the year: our annual gala at The Westin Seattle on Friday, May 16. Registration is open at nwirp.org/gala, and early bird ticket pricing is available until this Friday, April 4.
We hope you can make it to this important event and help ensure that our work can continue, as it has since 1984.
Funding For Our Unaccompanied Children Program Terminated by the Federal Government
For over two decades, the Unaccompanied Children Program (UCP) has provided legal support, education, consultations, and representation to vulnerable children who arrive in the U.S. alone. The program has been essential in helping thousands of children navigate the complex immigration system and ensure their safety.
Earlier this month, the current administration issued a near-total termination of work on its Unaccompanied Children Program, immediately ending funding for legal representation for 26,000 children and youth navigating the immigration system without a parent or guardian. Last week, NWIRP joined several of our partners as organizational plaintiffs, and today, we are seeking a temporary restraining order before the federal district court in San Francisco. We will be sure to update you!
Now is the time to advocate to protect this life-saving program and raise our voices. Please join us and other legal services providers in sending an urgent message to your members of Congress today and urge them to tell the Presidential Administration that this contract must be renewed.
ICE May No Longer Send Immigrants to a Third Country Without Written Notice and the Opportunity to Apply for Relief Thanks to NWIRP Lawsuit
Last week, NWIRP and partners filed a lawsuit challenging the unlawful removal of community members with final deportation orders to an unknown third country–a country that was not designated in the underlying removal proceedings. This includes persons who previously won withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) in proceedings before the immigration judge because they face persecution or torture if removed to their home countries. Nonetheless, ICE is now deporting these people and others to a different country, without providing them any notice of where they are being deported to and thus without providing them an opportunity to exercise their rights to apply for protection from removal to the unknown and previously undesignated country.
We are happy to share that on Friday, March 21, a hearing was held on our motion for emergency relief, and the federal district court in Boston granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) on a nationwide basis. Now, ICE may no longer deport community members to a third country in these circumstances unless ICE first provides the individual with written notice and an opportunity to apply for CAT protection. Thankfully, this order was applied immediately, providing protection to community members across the country, including at the detention center in Tacoma.
Thank you to our impact litigation team, our partners at National Immigration Litigation Alliance and Human Rights First, and our named plaintiffs for helping secure this important victory for immigrant rights.
The fight is not over as the government filed a motion to the First Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the order late last Friday night. NWIRP and partners filed their responsive brief Monday morning, and are now waiting for a ruling from the First Circuit. Also, NWIRP will return to federal district court in Boston on April 10, when the district court judge will decide whether to extend the TRO into an indefinite preliminary injunction.
NWIRP Filed Class Action on behalf of Detained Washington Residents Challenging Tacoma Immigration Court Detention Policy and Lengthy Custody Appeals Process
The week before, on March 20, NWIRP filed a separate class action lawsuit on behalf of Washington resident Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez and similarly situated individuals in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, challenging the Tacoma Immigration Court’s refusal to consider release on bond for persons who are charged with having entered the country without being admitted. This includes people who have been living in Washington State for years and have homes and families here. No other immigration court in the country has adopted a similar policy. This lawsuit also challenges the prolonged delays that detained noncitizens face when appealing an immigration judge’s decision denying release on bond to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
As our client communities continue to face injustices and violations of their rights, we are proud to stand strong in challenging unlawful and unjust actions to protect and advance the rights of immigrants in Washington State and across the country.
The following list includes both upcoming presentations and webinars along with recordings to recently completed presentations which are available to view for free. The intended audience for each of these presentations is outlined under each listing.
Training for service providers by the City of Seattle and NWIRP, Thursday, April 3, 12:00-2:00 PM at the Seattle Public Library-Central Library
Audience: Service providers
The Seattle Public Library, Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and NWIRP are hosting a service providers’ training on immigration-related updates and information. This training will cover Immigration policy changes, local laws & policies, and best practices.
Click here to RSVP. (Required to attend)
NWIRP Immigration Updates webinar on Monday, April 21st
In English: Noon-12:45pm
In Spanish: 12:45-1:30pm
Audience: Immigrants, their loved ones, service providers and the community.
Our team will provide updates on immigration policies and laws, as well as provide a brief Know Your Rights Presentation. The webinar will be in English from noon-12:45pm and in Spanish from 12:45pm – 1:30pm.
Click here to register for the webinar
Previous Trainings
We have several previous training videos available on our Vimeo page, including Know Your Rights information, the latest immigration-related updates, and immigration 101 for service providers.
Click here to access these recorded trainings
Thank you so much for your shared commitment to justice for all people in Washington State. Together, we will make it through this difficult time and emerge stronger than ever for our communities.
With gratitude,
Malou Chávez (she/her/ella)
Executive Director
P.S. Please follow us on social media to stay informed on the latest immigration news, resources, and more. Links to our social media accounts are available below.
