April Newsletter

Written By Kendra Berry

April 1, 2025 • 3 Nisan 5785

TASTE OF HONEY

We are nearing our first Passover Seder as a family where I anticipate my kids being old enough to ask questions that demand answers. I know better than to put them in confining categories of  the “wise or simple or rebellious or quiet one.” They are unfolding and revealing their potential to be all of these, and it’s breathtaking. Instead, I wrestle with my own yearning to be the “Wise Parent”—the one that skillfully weaves my children into the fabric of a Jewish people who have stood up for the rights of displaced sojourners for our entire existence. The parent who joyfully models our values, and shares the struggles and triumphs of our history that have led us to be a people of action, particularly when it comes to standing up against oppression. I yearn to sing redemption songs with my kids that ring true. 

And, these days, I feel for the parent who doesn’t know enough to speak or who stumbles to find the right words in the face of so much overwhelm. How can we possibly explain to a rising generation why rights and protections for those seeking pathways to citizenship are eroded before our eyes daily in our current political climate? Why access to life-saving healthcare and other basic necessities are being denied to families who have fled harrowing circumstances?

Rather than hide in fear of not having answers, I am especially grateful to JCIJ this month for curating concrete, critical opportunities to take action on behalf of immigrants’ rights, no matter what bandwidth we have, or roles we play in our families and local communities. The urgency of telling the Passover story amongst those who will listen and be catalyzed to demand justice for immigrants has never been greater. Please read on for ways you can link meaningful action to your Passover observance this year.

— Rabbi Laura Rumpf, Temple Beth Am

You’re invited to JCIJ’s annual Dinner in Community on April 27th at Washington Hall, where we will come together in this critical moment to take action for immigrant justice. 

Get your ticket at tinyurl.com/dinner2025! You can also show your support by being an Individual or Organizational Sponsor!

Our program includes Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum, and additional speakers to break down what is happening at the local, state, and national level in this moment. We'll feature live music from Correo Aereo and storytelling by immigrant community members, and JCIJ’s Tzedek Justice Award. Dinner will be catered by Project Feast, who empower refugee and immigrant cooks through hands-on culinary training and education.

TAKE ACTION

Advocate for Legislative Priority Healthcare Equity!

Everyone deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare—regardless of immigration status. Research shows that expanding access to care saves lives, reduces emergency room visits, and improves overall health outcomes.

Apple Health Expansion now serves almost 12,000 people and there are more than 16,000 people on the waitlist. If Apple Health Expansion is not funded in this years budget, none of these individuals will have access to healthcare.  You can stand up for immigrants too by sending a letter to your state legislator today demanding they fight for healthcare access for everyone in Washington.

Restore Legal Services for Unaccompanied Children

The government froze legal services for unaccompanied children, leaving over 26,000 children without access to their legal counsel. This strands children, some as young as toddlers, without the help they need to succeed in their immigration cases. Many children are forced to migrate without their parents or legal guardians because of things out of their control, such as poverty or violence. It is virtually impossible for a child to successfully navigate complex legal proceedings alone, without an attorney. 

The Unaccompanied Children Program is essential to making sure that vulnerable children are not alone, and have the legal representation and support they need to be empowered and informed. Contact your members of Congress and demand a restoration to these life-saving services.

Protect Sanctuary Cities - Advocate Against H.R. 32

Don’t defund our communities for deportations! Send a letter with T’ruah today! The Trump administration and MAGA Republicans in Congress are trying to force cities to make an impossible choice: carry out mass deportations, or lose essential services.

Schools, healthcare, transit, and disaster relief funds are core elements of keeping our communities safe and healthy. And yet H.R. 32, the “No Bailout for Sanctuary” Act, would threaten to cut off funding for those services if cities don’t comply with Trump’s mass deportation plan. We must protect our communities. True public safety means defending our neighbors, and investing in the infrastructure that our cities need. 

JCIJ is thankful to have NWIRP as an incredible partner and immigrant justice advocate. Join the JCIJ table at NWIRP’s gala to support in this critical moment as NWIRP represents immigrant clients, provides education, and challenges unjust and racist policies. The gala will include live entertainment, delicious food and drinks, and inspiring speakers━including immigrants whose lives have been impacted by NWIRP.

When: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m. ━ Welcome Reception, 6:15 p.m. ━ Dinner & Program Begins
Location: The Westin Seattle

Tickets: at nwirp.org/gala — Early Bird (by 4/4): $175, Regular Ticket Price (after 4/4): $225 

To purchase your ticket(s), visit nwirp.org/gala and list JCIJ under “Group Name.” Please also let us know you’re attending at team@jewishcoalition.org. If you cannot attend, you can still support by making a gift online at nwirp.org/donate.

VOLUNTEER

JCIJ supports two free legal clinics!

  • A Monday afternoon TPS (Temporary Protected Status) and Employment Authorization legal clinic in Tukwila from 11:40am - 4:15pm for Spanish speakers. Seeking volunteers who are proficient Spanish-speakers—fluency is not required. No legal experience required. We’ll train you! Join an amazing team of dedicated volunteers. Weekly commitment is not required). Email Ellen K. at ellenkley@gmail.com. 

  • A monthly day-long Asylum Clinic for past and current residents of Riverton Park United Methodist Church. This clinic is held on weekends. We are seeking immigration lawyers or paralegals; non-immigration lawyers and paralegals; and people who have sufficient fluency in Spanish, Lingala, French, Haitian-Creole or Portuguese to serve as interpreters. Volunteer at tinyurl.com/jcijvolunteer.

RESOURCES

NWIRP Resources | Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

  • Check out webinars by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project that help provide recommendations and grounding in the reality of this moment and impacts on immigrant rights. 

  • Informational videos and PowerPoint slideshows from NWIRP and Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese for asylum seekers to help navigate the immigration court and asylum process.  

  • Know Your Rights Resources - When the government arrests or tries to arrest someone, or when a government official or police officer "just wants to talk," every person in the United States has certain basic rights. These rights apply to everyone, regardless of citizenship - and regardless of who is President. 

  • If you are detained at the Detention Center in Tacoma, call NWIRP at 253-383-0519

Family Safety Planning Webinar hosted by Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)

Resources for Deportation Defense | Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network

Know Your Rights App 

This app developed by the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) is available for iPhones and is in 16 languages, including Asian languages, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Russian. It has the ability to read your rights out loud to an ICE or law enforcement agent and send a message to an emergency contact. It has other resources as well such as the ability to look up a consulate and a sample family preparedness plan. It will be ready for android phones soon.

LOCAL NEWS

Unemployment Insurance for Immigrants Falls Short in Washington Legislature | Washington State Standard

A pair of bills in the Washington State Legislature—SB 5626 and HB 1773—creating a wage replacement program for Washington workers excluded from unemployment insurance failed to pass out of committees this session. The Washington State Standard reported that the looming multibillion-dollar budget deficit was partly to blame for the bill’s failure; House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Seattle, stated that “…this is not the year that we’re going to see a lot of new benefits.” Another obstacle to success was the lack of time to amend the bill to create auditing systems to help prevent fraud by the third-party administrator of the program. 

Advocates are pleased that the legislation advanced further in the legislative process this session than in past years. Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-Seattle, sponsor of the Senate bill, plans to continue to fight for this safety net for a population of over 150,000 people employed in Washington State who are not legally authorized to work due to their immigration status.

AG’s Lawsuit Against Adams County Protects Civil Rights, Economy | Seattle Times

According to a lawsuit filed by the state Attorney General’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office has been violating the Keep Washington Working Act (known commonly as the “sanctuary law”) for years. Alleged violations include unlawfully holding people in custody based solely on their immigration status and allowing federal agents to question them. Adams County has also ignored guidance from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, directing sheriff’s offices to comply with state law. (Read our March newsletter about how Washington sheriff’s offices plan to balance conflicting state and federal laws.)

FEDERAL NEWS

Trump Invoked the Alien Enemies Act to Speed Up Deportations: What to Know | New York Times

Hundreds of Venezuelan migrants were recently deported to El Salvador, where they will be imprisoned, based on the Trump administration’s allegations that they have ties to a gang. The deportations were done under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which gives the president authority to remove citizens of foreign countries, whom he defines as “alien enemies,” in times of war or invasion. 

This authority has only been invoked three times--during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II--according to the Brennan Center for Justice. In World War II, this law was used to detain Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in the U.S., based on their ancestry, without evidence of actions threatening national security. 

On the same day, Judge James E. Boasberg issued a limited order blocking the deportation of the five men who were named in the American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit; Judge Boarsberg said he would issue a broader order applying to all “noncitizens in U.S. custody.” The judge agreed with the plaintiffs’ argument that the terms “invasion” and “predatory incursion” in the law “really relate to hostile acts perpetrated by enemy nations.” This is a developing story.

Trump Administration Cuts Legal Help for Migrant Children Traveling Alone | AP News

The Trump administration Friday ended a contract that provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian, raising concerns that children will be forced to navigate the complex legal system alone.

“It’s extremely concerning because it’s leaving these kids without really important support,” said Ailin Buigues, who heads Acacia’s unaccompanied children program. “They’re often in a very vulnerable position.”

People fighting deportation do not have the same right to representation as people going through criminal courts, although they can hire private attorneys. But there has been some recognition that children navigating the immigration court system without a parent or guardian are especially vulnerable. 

Take Action with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, who held contracts to support unaccompanied minors, here.

IRS Nears Deal with ICE to Share Data of Undocumented Immigrants | The Guardian

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is reportedly nearing a deal to allow immigration officials to use tax data to support Donald Trump’s deportation agenda, according to recent reports. Under the proposed data-sharing agreement, said to have been in negotiations for weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could hand over the names and addresses of undocumented immigrants to the IRS, raising concerns about abuse of power from the Trump administration and the erosion of privacy rights.

If access to this confidential database is agreed upon, it would mark a significant shift, likely becoming the first time immigration officials have relied on the tax system for enforcement assistance in such a sweeping way.

Be in touch with the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW
at team@jewishcoalition.org and learn more at jewishcoalition.org.

Follow JCIJ on Facebook and Instagram.

Donate to build Jewish Coalition’s advocacy, accompaniment and community engagement.

Volunteer for or learn more about accompaniment, legal support, observing ICE flights, tutoring, interpreting, crafting JCIJ communications, and supporting immigrant-led partners.   

Kendra Berry
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March Newsletter