As the president recently announced his re-election bid, he has unfortunately chosen to renew his rhetorical attacks on our immigrant community by announcing a new wave of enforcement raids. Although the announced sweeps have apparently been postponed and we have also been advised by our legal friends that the administration does not have the capacity for massive raids on the scaled that has been proposed, we at Casa Latina are taking measures to help ensure the safety of our community.
Since this administration took office, here at Casa Latina we have implemented planning efforts with our own staff and offered know-your-rights trainings to the community at large. We’re also part of the larger mobilization of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) which includes more than 100 organizations across the state. The network has been organizing to not only resist the attacks, but also create new protections, such as the recently enacted Keep Washington Working law which was approved by lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. This new law will help ensure that state and local law enforcement do not carry out the work of immigration officials. Keep Washington Working extends some of the provisions of “sanctuary,” imperfect as they are, to our entire state, and they help ensure relationships of trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement.
The cities that are being targeted as part of this new wave of raids does not include Seattle. However, our region and our state have clearly been affected by the increased ICE enforcement actions of this administration so we must stay vigilant. If you witness any activity by ICE, please call the WAISN hotline 1-844-724-3737 for rapid response.
In the coming days and weeks we will continue to monitor developments and work closely with our partners and allies. Your continued support for organizations like Casa Latina and networks like WAISN will help ensure that our community remains strong, resilient and protected.
In Solidarity,
Marcos Martinez
Executive Director
