November Newsletter: Support JCIJ’s Actions for Immigrant Justice This Election Cycle and Beyond
November 1, 2024 • 30 Tishrei 5785
TASTE OF HONEY
Damp leaves, gray skies remind us of the days and months passing while fires burn around the world. It’s time to settle in with a warm mug, good friends and our values. Moses (and my parents) exhorted us - “חזק ואמץ” “Be strong and courageous.” May we find strength in each other and in our commitment to justice for everyone. - Beth Fine
SUPPORT
ICE activity is on the rise in our state, and there is a high need for legal support for immigrant community members. With the election just around the corner, make a gift today so that JCIJ is ready to stand by immigrant community members no matter the outcome.
Your support:
Enables JCIJ to walk side by side to accompany immigrant community members to high stakes immigration appointments and hearings.
Builds state and federal advocacy, fighting for health equity, unemployment insurance, and support for newly arrived migrants.
Amplifies mutual aid drives for hygiene supplies, homewares, and clothing.
Allows JCIJ to help organize free asylum and TPS clinics, which have served over 500 migrants.
Grows Jewish and multifaith community engagement, and more!
Those who have participated in a JCIJ Accompaniment Training are invited to join Part 2 to learn Rapid Response techniques in case someone gets detained. With ICE activity escalating in our state, being prepared to document should ICE apprehend the person you’re accompanying can impact the outcome of someone’s case.
We will be doing future accompaniment trainings for new volunteers!
All We Carry Film Screening and Talk Back - November 24
Get your tickets for JCIJ’s film screening on November 24! We are partnering with Congregation Beth Shalom to present All We Carry, a documentary by Cady Voge showing the extraordinary journey of Magdiel, Mirna, and their young son as they flee Honduras, endure immigrant detention, seek asylum, and make a new home with the support of Seattle’s Jewish community.
Join us to view the film and take part in a talk back while supporting JCIJ’s efforts to advance immigrant justice and create community for newly arrived migrants.
All We Carry JCIJ Book Club
We are getting ready to restart our JCIJ Book Club and expand it to include other forms of media! Our next meeting goes in tandem with this film screening: We will discuss All We Carry on Monday, November 25, at 7:00 PM PT on Zoom.
Join the discussion! Send an email to team@jewishcoalition.org to register.
JCIJ Chanukah Party - Save the Date!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
La Resistencia’s Día de los Muertos at the NW Detention - November 2
La Resistencia is celebrating Día de Los Muertos at NWDC! Please save the date for November 2nd at 1:00pm! Bring some flowers, candles, fruit, and pictures of your deceased loved ones to contribute to the altar. La Resistencia’s 10th celebration of this tradition remembers and honors those in detention and those deported. More about La Resistencia here.
12th Annual Ladino Day: “The Familiar” Book Talk with Leigh Bardugo - December 8
The University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program and the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies invite author Leigh Bardugo to speak at their annual Ladino Day celebration on December 8 at 10 AM. Acclaimed fantasy author Leigh Bardugo (“Shadow and Bone”) will discuss her new novel, “The Familiar,” which features a Sephardic Jewish heroine in 16th-century Spain who draws magical powers from her family’s secret language, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish).
Save the Date: WAISN’s Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Day - January 30, 2025
MUTUAL AID
Care Packages for Newly Arrived Migrants
WAISN and JCIJ need your help purchasing supplies for new migrant arrivals to King County. The need for care packages and resources for newly arrived migrants continues to increase. WAISN, with volunteers from JCIJ, delivered 65 care packages in 2023. Please support this mutual aid effort of urgently needed items. They will be sent directly to WAISN and delivered by JCIJ volunteers.
VOLUNTEER
JCIJ supports two free legal clinics!
A Monday afternoon TPS legal clinic from 11:45am - 4pm for Spanish speakers at Riverton Park United Methodist Church. Volunteers who speak Spanish are especially needed, but fluency is not required!. No legal experience required. We have an amazing team of dedicated volunteers (weekly commitment not required). Join us! Email Ellen Kleyman 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; people with an interest in learning about immigration law; and people who have sufficient fluency in Spanish, Lingala, French, Haitian-Creole or Portuguese to serve as interpreters.
NEWS
Debunking the Myth of Immigrants and Crime
Immigrants have always been an easy target for scapegoating. But comparing crime data to demographic data from 1980 to 2022, the American Immigration Council’s research shows that as the immigrant share of the U.S. population grew, the crime rate declined. This aligns with a wealth of past research showing that immigrants—including undocumented immigrants—are less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born and welcoming immigrants into American communities can strengthen public safety.
“[The American Immigration Council’s] analysis of the Heritage Foundation’s own database of 1,500 ‘proven instances of voter fraud’... found ‘just 10 [cases] involving people living in the country illegally.' Ten people in the last four decades! That is statistically nothing. More people die from hippo attacks every year.” – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, citing the Council’s research on the myth of non-citizen voter fraud.
Common Myths about Immigration: Learn the Facts
Our friends at Jefferson County Immigration Rights Advocates take apart many myths about immigration that hurt us all. Thank you for your helpful research!
Birthright Citizenship in the United States
For over a century, the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has guaranteed that every child born "within the jurisdiction of the United States" is a U.S. citizen, regardless of their parent's immigration status.
Some political leaders, however, have pushed to restrict birthright citizenship, attempting to deny it to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrant parents. This new fact sheet from the American Immigration Council explains birthright citizenship, the Fourteenth Amendment and its interpretations, who is eligible for birthright citizenship, and whether it can be taken away.
In 2022 Dina was asked by a friend who is a leader in the Somali community to get to know Mohamed and help him in any way she could. Read the third installment of a series Mohamed and Dina are writing about his life and story. Almost every word attributed to Mohamed is a quote from Dina’s notes of conversations with him. Mohamed has served nine years of a forty year sentence in the WA State Penitentiary at Walla Walla.
SONGS IN THE KEY OF JCIJ
Curated by Dina Burstein
“I have gathered here a few songs to comfort our hearts as we anticipate and experience the US election.” - Dina
No Woman No Cry ft. Gilberto Gil & Stephen Marley - Playing for Change
You’re Not Alone - Our Native Daughters
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.