August Newsletter: Together in Welcome
August 1, 2025 • 7 Av 5785
TASTE OF HONEY
From Robert Reich’s substack:
With the national and international news bringing anguish almost every day, I think it’s important to keep a tally of what is still good and beautiful in our lives and in the world, lest we succumb to despair. A major part of not submitting to Trump’s tyranny is living our lives to the fullest — hopefully and cheerfully, in the face of him and his regime.
I had breakfast recently with a friend who defends immigrants. I expected her to be overcome with anger and sadness. Instead, she was as happy as I’ve ever seen her.
“What gives?” I asked her. “You seem almost, well, joyful.”
Not exactly joyful,” she laughed. “But I’m in a good place.”
“How can you be when you’re surrounded every day by people whose lives are being ruined by the orange menace?”
She gave me a long, intense look.
“Because,” she said slowly, “I’m fighting on the front line.”
“And that puts you in a good place?”
“The very best place.” She smiled.
I was beginning to understand. “You’re a warrior!” I said.
“Yes. And I’m so thankful to be doing this now, at this moment in history.” Her smile broadened.
Exactly.
Those of us who have the time, energy, stamina, and courage to stand up against this regime’s brutality are among the most fortunate of people. I think about the joy I felt in demonstrating with thousands of others on June 14. Maybe you felt it, too. The connections to others. The feeling of doing something. Of having agency. Of exercising our power.
Others of you engage in boycotts. Or nonviolent civil disobedience. Or you make so many phone calls to members of Congress you jam the switchboards. You attend your senators’ and representatives’ town halls, yelling your questions. You don’t take BS for answers. You’re organizing and mobilizing voters for the 2026 midterms, as well as more immediate elections.
You’re doing whatever you can to protect immigrants, public servants, judges, candidates for office, LGBTQ+ people, and anyone else endangered by Trump and his lackeys.
In all these ways, being a warrior for democracy enables us to remain hopeful and strong in these cynical times. Being a warrior for justice — for the rule of law, for equal political rights, for human rights — enables us to find meaning and purpose in these dark times.
Being a warrior against brutality, bigotry, and cruelty enables us to lead honorable lives in these dishonorable times.
Being a warrior against tyranny enables us to be on the right side of history.
-Robert Reich
SPOTLIGHT: “Together in Welcome” Multifaith Vigil
About 100 faith leaders, immigrant advocates, and community members were part of the “Together in Welcome” Multifaith Vigil in Seattle on 7/24 at the US District Courthouse in downtown Seattle.
The Multifaith Vigil was covered by King 5 and the Seattle Times. The Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice (JCIJ) also posted about it on Facebook and Instagram.
Speakers included: Andrea Soroko Naar, Executive Director of Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW; Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum of the The Kavana Cooperative; Reverend Jan Bolerjack of Riverton Park United Methodist Church; Member of the Church Council who is directly impacted with interpretation by Church Council of Greater Seattle Co-Executive Director Tara Miller; King County Councilmember Jorge Barón; Malou Chávez, Executive Director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP); Dr. Joyce del Rosario, Executive Director of Faith Action Network; and Rabbi Ronit Tsadok, Director of Project Kavod at Jewish Family Service.
We are grateful to Vigil Co-Sponsors, who included: Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW, Jewish Family Service, The Kavana Cooperative, Congregation Kol Ami, Church Council of Greater Seattle, Faith Action Network, Congregation Beth Shalom, Temple Beth Am, and Kol HaNeshamah.
Here's to building "these spaces where we can bring community together," Andrea Soroko Naar of the Jewish Coalition said in The Seattle Times. "We need to do more and continue to activate more people to take action, to publicly speak out and show up."
EVENTS
JCIJ Annual Summer Gathering | September 7
Save the date and join us for the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice's 3rd annual Summer Gathering to come together in community! JCIJ's Summer Gathering will take place at a Seattle park on Sunday, September 7th at 10:30am. Please register for location; tickets are free.
Together we can grow an even stronger community of JCIJ advocates, action takers, and accompaniment volunteers. Come learn more about how to get involved or deepen your engagement in accompaniment and advocacy over brunch and music. There will also be time for chatting ~ schmoozing (Yiddish) or to echar lashon (Ladino)!
Save the Date - JCIJ October Accompaniment Training | October 26
COMMUNITY EVENTS
WAISN Know Your Rights with ICE Training | August 14
Do you know what to do if ICE comes to your home or workplace? Do you know what a judicial warrant looks like? Learn more at WAISN’s upcoming training.
The Detention Lottery: An Immersive Theater Experience | August 24
Join JCIJ at Casa Latina’s Rhythms of Resilience Gala on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the Hilton Motif in Downtown Seattle for an evening of community, music, and joy.
Hear powerful stories, live music, and meaningful connections. And of course, no Casa Latina gala would be complete without a fun dance afterparty!
Early bird tickets are available for $170 through September 2.
VOLUNTEER
JCIJ supports free legal clinics!
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.
Volunteers Needed: Visit Immigrants Detained at NW Detention Center (NWDC)
NWDC Independent Visitation is seeking compassionate, community-minded individuals to visit immigrants currently detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (formerly known as the NW Detention Center) in Tacoma, WA. Originally part of AID NW, the visitation group became an independent organization two years ago.
Volunteers are needed who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Amharic, French, and languages from India and Africa. English speakers are also welcome, as many detainees speak some English.
Volunteer Commitment
Visit one person at least twice per month (some volunteers visit multiple individuals). Training and support are provided.
Visiting hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., seven days a week. The Detention Center is closed daily from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Your presence can offer hope, dignity, and a lifeline to someone isolated and far from home. If you are interested in becoming a visitor or would like more information, please reach out to Katherine Niall by text at 480-748-0577.
RESOURCES
NWIRP Resources | Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
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 someone you know is 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 flyers and information in English, Spanish, French, Lingala, Portuguese, and Somali.
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, send a message to an emergency contact, and more.
LOCAL NEWS
The ICE dragnet is widening in WA | Seattle Times
Of the 274 Washington ICE arrests made in June, 69% were of people who have not been previously convicted of a crime, according to ICE’s own records. The arrest records are regularly obtained through public records requests and posted by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California.
In June 2024, under the previous administration, only 35% of ICE arrestees had clean criminal records. Overall detentions have surged. ICE arrested more than twice as many people in Washington last month as in any previous month so far this year, the data shows.
Washington’s DOL is sharing information with ICE. Are they using that data to deport people? | KUOW
In 2018, the Washington state Legislature passed a law that, among other things, prevents state agencies from sharing residents’ personal information with federal officials when it comes to immigration enforcement. It's part of a range of laws and policies that makes Washington a sanctuary state.
A new investigation from KING 5 shows at least one state agency has quietly been sharing that kind of information with some Homeland Security agencies as deportations ramp up. KING 5 investigative reporter Kristin Goodwillie told KUOW’s Kim Malcolm about her reporting.
WA Sues to Block Data of Food Stamp Recipients from Trump Adminsitration│Seattle Times
Washington State is suing the company that helps administer food stamps in the state, seeking to block the sharing of personal data that would be used “for President Trump’s mass deportation scheme.” Over one million Washington residents receive food stamp assistance.
Refugees from Travel Ban Countries Must Be Allowed to Enter US, Seattle Judge Rules │Washington State Standard
A U.S. District Court judge in Seattle ruled on July 14 that the Trump administration must allow refugees to enter the United States from countries covered by the president’s travel ban. That ruling opens the door for approximately 80 refugees to arrive immediately from those countries. The judge’s ruling includes additional refugees whose travel plans were canceled between December 1, 2024 and January 20, 2025.
FEDERAL NEWS
An App that Warns of ICE Raids — Inspired by the Memory of the Holocaust │Forward
Joshua Aaron has created ICEBlock, an app allowing people to identify ICE actions in real time. In two clicks, users who spot ICE activity can identify the time and location, generating an alert to the app’s users. The app, free and available only on Apple, has been downloaded 750,000 times.
Immigration Agents Demand Tenant Information from Landlords, Using “Subpoenas” │The Associated Press
The Trump administration is using “information enforcement subpoenas” to demand information from landlords about their tenants--including leases, rental applications, forwarding addresses, and identification cards—to assist in its mass deportation efforts. These subpoenas are not signed by a judge, but ICE claims authorization to obtain records through specific administrative subpoena authorities. Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, defended the use of subpoenas against landlords, saying “However, it is false to say that subpoenas from ICE can simply be ignored. Failure to comply with an ICE-issued administrative subpoena may result in serious legal penalties.”
This tactic relies on landlords’ confusion about their need to comply with a subpoena not signed by a judge. “The danger here is overcompliance,” said Stacy Seicshnaydre, a Tulane University law professor who studies housing law. “Just because a landlord gets a subpoena, doesn’t mean it’s a legitimate request.”
Federal Appeals Court Issues Another Blow to Trump's Effort to End Birthright Citzenship │CNN
On July 23, the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, and it upheld a nationwide block against the policy. This is the first time an appeals court fully concluded that Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. The Trump administration can ask the full 9th Circuit to review the case or it could appeal this matter directly to the Supreme Court.
Mass Deportation: Analyzing the Trump Administration's Attacks on Immigrants, Democracy, and America │American Immigration Council
The American Immigration Council has released this special report, “Mass Deportation: Analyzing the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Immigrants, Democracy, and America” as a framework to understand the changes in the U.S. immigration system during the first six months of the Trump administration. The report seeks to answer three key questions: Who are we allowing into the United States, and who are we excluding? How are we treating the immigrants already here? Who are we forcing to leave, and how?
SONGS IN THE KEY OF JCIJ
Curated by Dina Burstein
When the Ground Shifts This is a beautiful and moving song by singer/songwriter Deidre McCalla. A Black woman, mother, lesbian, feminist, Deidre McCalla has long been in the forefront of Black musicians expanding the understanding of how Black folk do folk.
Jorge Drexler - "Movimiento" (Lyric video) Jorge Drexler, Uruguayan singer songwriter and otolaryngologist, was raised Jewish in Montevideo. You can see him perform this song with English subtitles on the NPR Tiny Desk Concert recording.
Keep The River on Your Right I just love this song about death and life by Kristen Grainger and performed by True North.
"Kiss the Sky"- Official Music Video by Maren Morris| From "The Wild Robot" Starring Lupita Nyong’o I think this song speaks for itself. Thanks for the suggestion, Manny and Reina!
Be in touch with the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW
at team@jewishcoalition.org and learn more at jewishcoalition.org.
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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.