July Newsletter
July 1, 2025 • 5 Tamuz 5785
TASTE OF HONEY
Accompanying Our Neighbors
Even though school is out and summer is here, June was a tough month. More and more people were being detained at immigration court and continue to be detained at ICE check-ins. One bright spot has been that ICE hasn’t had a presence at immigration court in the last two weeks, but the situation continues to change moment to moment. We are grateful to the many volunteers who are accompanying community members and volunteering at the courthouse with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)!
Learn more about the Jewish Coalition’s accompaniment program and read the story of someone recently detained below:
JCIJ trains volunteers to accompany immigrant community members to high stakes immigration appointments: court hearings, ICE check-ins, biometrics, and ankle monitor/surveillance appointments. When community members call the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network's Hotline or when partner organizations reach out, JCIJ dispatches trained accompaniment volunteers to support.
Two weeks ago, three wonderful Jewish Coalition accompaniment volunteers accompanied community member Manuel to Immigration Court at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle. There were 4 or 5 men in uniform, wearing dark cloth masks over the bottom part of their faces, standing in the hallway outside of the waiting room of the courtroom, where Manuel’s hearing was held.
The government attorney moved to dismiss Manuel’s case, effectively ending Manuel’s legal status in the U.S. Manuel said he needed time to talk to a lawyer. The judge said he wouldn’t need a lawyer, that there won’t be any case, and that he still could file for expedited asylum and seek a credible fear interview. Not understanding, Manuel asked the judge to repeat the information. Our volunteers feared that the judge misled Manuel as to what a dismissal of his case could mean.
Afterward, in the waiting room, the uniformed masked men entered and without any introduction seized Manuel, who was surrounded by supportive volunteers. The agents wearing Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent badges took Manuel out of the waiting room and toward the elevator and handcuffed him.
A volunteer asked the ICE agents where they were taking Manuel. One replied, “Outside.” When asked, “And from there?”, they got no reply. The volunteer put her hand on her heart, signalling to Manuel to show her care and concern for him. Two other community members were detained by agents in the court’s waiting room shortly after.
What we’re seeing on the ground is changing moment to moment - if volunteers are allowed in, who can enter the waiting rooms, etc. ICE is disappearing immigrant community members, taking them to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, where the conditions are horrendous with screws and maggots found in the food. There is currently no yard time or outdoor access for fresh air, and people in detention don't know what time of day it is as the fluorescent lights are on all night. Many people are sick with hundreds waiting to see a doctor and very little access to medical care.
Know someone who is wanting to be accompanied to their immigration appointment or hearing?
View flyers in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Lingala here.
*Contact the WAISN Hotline 1-844-724-3737 Monday-Friday from 6am-6pm and request Accompaniment.* Note: Please give as much lead time as possible. The Jewish Coalition will dispatch trained accompaniment volunteers.
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Court Cases Getting Dismissed in Seattle Immigration Court - Know Your Rights and Get Accompaniment Support
It is important that community members who have immigration court hearings scheduled show up to court and continue to attend their hearings to avoid a deportation order in their absence.
While there has not been an ICE presence at immigration court in the last two weeks, judges have been dismissing immigration cases and ICE were targeting people once they were leaving court (once the court dismisses a case, the community member no longer has status) and especially those who have been in the U.S. for less than two continuous years face expedited removal.
The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) prepared the following abbreviated Know Your Rights fliers with important information on your rights in immigration court.
TAKE ACTION
Ask Governor Ferguson to Act Immediately to Save Tuan's Life!
Tuan Phan, a long-time Washington resident and refugee from Vietnam, is in urgent danger. After completing his 25-year sentence in Washington State, he was transferred to ICE custody and is now being held in a shipping container on a U.S. military base in Djibouti, shackled and facing deportation to South Sudan, a country he has never known, and one of the most dangerous places on earth.
Tuan came to the U.S. as a child. He grew up in Tacoma. He served his complete sentence. Now, the Trump administration is attempting to deport him to a war-torn country where he will be at extreme risk.
Join us in calling on Gov. Bob Ferguson to:
Grant a full pardon for Tuan Phan to restore his lawful status and reunite him with his family in Tacoma.
End cooperation between the WA Department of Corrections and ICE, which led to Tuan’s transfer into federal custody.
Dear Governor Ferguson,
I’m writing to urge you to take immediate action to protect Tuan Phan, a long-time Washington resident and refugee who is currently being held in dangerous and inhumane conditions by ICE on a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Tuan came to this country as a child, served his full sentence in Washington State, and deserves the chance to return home to his family in Tacoma.
I am asking you to:
Grant Tuan Phan a full pardon, which would allow him to regain his lawful permanent residency and reunite with his loved ones.
Work with the Legislature to end Washington’s Department of Corrections cooperation with ICE, which directly contributed to Tuan’s detention.
Washington must stand up for immigrant communities and ensure that no one is funneled into a federal deportation machine after serving their time. Please act now to save Tuan’s life and defend our shared values.
Sincerely,
[your name, city, and zip]
Join us for an evening of Klezmer music and activism at Klezmer Starts Here: A Benefit for the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice on Sunday, July 6, featuring Kesselgarden Klezmer Duo and The Talne Trio at the Royal Room.
Show starts at 7:30pm and doors open at 6:30pm. $20 advanced tickets are available at tinyurl.com/klezmerjcij; Tickets at the door are $25.
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)!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
We Rise, We Do Not Descend: A Jewish call to action on the federal budget | July 1
Join Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, T'ruah, and Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action for an important Jewish community call to action on the federal budget on July 1 at 5:30 pm.
Together we will learn what's at stake in the federal budget around immigration, hunger and climate, how these threats impact our communities, and take action to stop this inhumane bill.
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; 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. Volunteer at tinyurl.com/jcijvolunteer.
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)
Webinar presentation slides NWIRP’s “Immigration 101”
Resources for Deportation Defense | Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network
Four Deportation Defense Actions You Can Take Today highlights important steps we can take now to protect immigrant rights. Share widely!
Know Your Rights flyers and information in English, Spanish, French, Lingala, Portuguese, and Somali.
Additional flyers and resources about Keep Washington Working
Support the Fair Fight Bond Fund.
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.
NATIONAL NEWS
What is birthright citizenship and what happens after the Supreme Court ruling? | NPR
After the Supreme Court issued a ruling that limits the ability of federal judges to issue universal injunctions — but didn't rule on the legality of President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship — immigrant rights groups are trying a new tactic by filing a national class action lawsuit. If birthright citizenship is passed, children born to undocumented parents will be stateless without access to benefits, social services, education, etc.
ICE ramps up immigrant arrests in courthouses across U.S. | Axios
ICE Agents at Seattle Courthouse Arrest People Whose Deportation Hearings Are Dismissed | KUOW
ICE had been immigrants at courthouses after community members’ hearings ended - but haven’t had a presence there the last two weeks. Advocates contend that the Trump administration’s policy shift authorizing ICE to target courthouses is a trap, upending the legal process for immigrants and eroding their due process rights. New guidelines authorize these arrests and fast-track the removal of anyone in the country for less than two years. “If immigrant people know that ICE is waiting at the court, what are they gonna do? They're not gonna come to their court,” immigration attorney Eilish Villa Malone said. “And what happens when you don't go to your court, you get a removal order from the judge.”
Appeals Court Blocks Newsom’s Bid To Reclaim Control Of National Guard From Trump │Politico
A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled in favor of President Trump’s action taking control of California National Guard troops to respond to protests in Los Angeles around federal immigration enforcement actions.The appeals court indefinitely blocked an effort by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to reclaim control of these National Guard troops.
Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Ability to Issue Nationwide Injunctions, a Win for Trump | New York Times
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship to take effect in some parts of the country for now, ruling that several district court judges had exceeded their authority in blocking the policy across the country.
The court stressed that its ruling did not address the constitutionality of Mr. Trump’s order itself, which bars government agencies from automatically treating babies as citizens if they were born on domestic soil to undocumented migrants or foreign visitors without green cards.
Trump travel ban shakes up WA immigrant communities | Seattle Times
At the beginning of June, the Trump administration instituted a travel ban affecting citizens from 19 countries, more countries than in the travel ban of the first Trump administration. The ban has shaken many of the Seattle area’s immigrant communities, many of whom hail from Afghanistan, Somalia, Eritrea and Iran. Citizens of the countries affected by the ban face either maximum or partial restrictions, depending on how their country is categorized. However, there are several exceptions, and the difference between the most restrictive and partial bans is unclear.
LOCAL NEWS
Population & Economic Impact of Washington’s Immigrant Population | Washington State Budget & Policy Center
According to a recent report by the non-profit Washington State Budget & Policy Center, Washington is home to 1.2 million immigrants, including 619,000 non-citizen residents of whom approximately 300,000 may be undocumented. These numbers are based on the Immigration Research Initiative’s analysis (January 2025) of the 2023 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. At approximately 16% of the state’s population, Washington ranks number eleven by immigrant percent of state population. In 2022, the nonprofit Institue on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated that undocumented workers paid approximately $997million in state and local taxes in Washington.
Trio of Immigrant Rights Laws Signed By WA Governor | Seattle Times & Washington State Standard
Washington State Department of Health will adopt rules and conduct inspections related to sanitary, hygienic, and safe conditions at the for-profit immigrant detention center in Tacoma and other private detention facilities. The Office of the Attorney General will enforce violations of these rules. Read details.
Immigrant workers now have better tools when facing coercion in the workplace. (Coercion happens before employees raise an issue; retaliation actions may happen afterwards.) The state’s Department of Labor and Industries is now required to investigate complaints of coercion and may impose civil penalties for violations. Employers will be notified when a worker files a coercion complaint, but personal information will remain confidential. Read details.
Effective July 27, 2025: Bail bond agents face disciplinary action by the state’s Department of Licensing for unprofessional conduct in enforcement of a civil immigration warrant and sharing a defendant’s immigration status with anyone outside their business. Read details.
Effective July 27, 2025: The state’s Clemency and Pardons Board must consider expedited review of a petitioner's application if the petitioner indicates an urgent need for pardon or commutation, including, but not limited to, a pending deportation order or proceeding. Read details.
Effective July 27, 2025: Employees can use paid sick leave to prepare for or participate in certain immigration proceedings involving themselves or their family member. Read details.
Washington State Looks to Strengthen Safety Net for Children Whose Parents Are Deported | Washington State Standard
Governor Bob Ferguson established the Family Separation Response Task Force in January to assess supports for separated immigrant families. The task force issued its first report recently, finding that Washington faces multiple gaps in supports for separated immigrant families.The Family Separation Rapid Response Team at the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families has resources for families, partners, and caregiver providers regarding safety places, legal rights, and more.
SONGS IN THE KEY OF JCIJ
Curated by Dina Burstein
Two songs to celebrate countries under the Trump travel ban…
Joé Dwèt Filé - 4 Kampé (Official Lyrics Video) Contemporary Haitian artist and lyricist
Wangden Sherpa - YouTube A contemporary song by Wangden Sherpa which honors his Nepali roots and honors traditional music.
Brian Wilson and Sly Stone, Rest in Peace!
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.