Immigration Resources by Ester Greenfield

Where to find Information about immigrant rights:

  1. The Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is a great place to start.  Its website has links to a wealth of information about organizations that protect the rights of immigrants in Seattle and throughout Washington.  It also has informational on topics including: Know Your Rights, applying for asylum, responding to workplace raids, and family safety if a family member is detained by ICE.  See:  https://www.seattle.gov/iandraffairs

  2. WAISN, the Washington Immigrant Support Network, runs a hotline 1-844-724-3737, where anyone can report immigration enforcement activity as it is happening.  See:  https://waisn.org . WAISN also maintains a vetted database of resources for immigrant and refugee communities in Washington State.  See:   https://resources.waisn.org/

  3. The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is provides legal services for immigrant rights.  NWIRP’s staff has filed and won many significant national class actions challenging unconstitutional and illegal anti-immigrant policies.  See: www.nwirp.org.

Here are links to guides on specific issues:

  1. Several KYR guides are published by NWIRP here:  https://www.nwirp.org/resources/kyr/.    This web page also has links to know-your-rights guides published by other organizations such as WAISN, ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, and other organizations.  In English, Spanish and other languages.

  2. Here is a guide to planning for a workplace raid: https://www.nilc.org/resources/a-guide-for-employers-what-to-do-if-immigration-comes-to-your-workplace/

  3. Here is a guide to family planning for immigrant families:  https://lcycwa.org/isp

Here are some pathways to becoming a volunteer for immigrant rights:

  1. Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice runs an accompaniment program.  Trained volunteers accompany a migrant to an encounter with the government.   You do not need to be an attorney or Jewish to volunteer.  While accompaniment cannot prevent detention, it can provide support to the migrant. To get more information or to sign up for training to become an accompaniment volunteer, see: www.jewishcoalition.org/accompaniment.

  2. For the last few weeks, plainclothes ICE officers have been arresting migrants after they leave their immigration court (IC) hearings.  Volunteers are needed to monitor the IC corridors and courtrooms in the federal building at 915 Second Avenue.  Please feel free to email me at esterg@mhb.com if you would like to participate as a monitor.  I will try to get you connected since there is no generally available portal to sign up at this time.

  3.  NWIRP is looking for volunteers who can help staff the WAISN hotline.  They are also seeking volunteers who are fluent in languages other than English for interpretation and translation.  You can sign up at https://www.nwirp.org/join/volunteer/.