JCIJ March Newsletter
March 1, 2026 • 12 Adar 5786
TASTE OF HONEY
This month, we honor all the connected celebrations in our communities: Ramadan Mubarak, Happy Lunar New Year, and Purim alegre! Tikvah, or joy, is a traditional Jewish value that JCIJ brings to our work: a reminder that celebrating together, and finding strength in our traditions, helps us all stand side-by-side in community and collective powers.
We’re sharing a poem by K., a student of JCIJ community member Merna, to illustrate the joy of gathering with family, friends, community–and a delicious meal!
The Shared Meal
A shiny kitchen invites me,
I step in on my soft wool slippers
Towards the waving smells,
Everyone waiting for a bite,
Dreaming of the tastes to come.
My mother stirring the skimmer
So the okras won’t split,
And let those sticky seeds flow into the pan.
Chopping cucumbers, adding to شوملې/ توروې [dried / dark]
With mint leaves swimming in the glass,
And leaving us hungry.
Our famous Afghani food منتو [manti - Afghan dumplings]
Made with love and passion,
Kneading the dough until smooth,
Spreading, spinning, rolling.
The spices mixing up together
And the hissing sound of Pepsi pouring,
Gathering as a family on the floor
Nothing but caring and sharing.
The divine evening becomes more beautiful,
The bitter taste becomes sweeter
As we witness the togetherness,
And lift up our hands for dua.
الحمدلله, الحمدلله , الحمدلله
[Praise be to god, praise be to god, praise be to god]
- K., a young woman from Afghanistan
& high school student in King County
We are nearing the end of the 2026 legislative session in Washington State, and it’s coming down to the wire on key priorities to advance immigration justice in our state. Take action TODAY and join our email campaign! Tell your legislators: Prioritize immigrant justice this session!
📣Demand that Washington legislators maintain access to healthcare for immigrant and refugee communities!
Call on your lawmakers to maintain the Apple Health Expansion! Apple Health Expansion (AHE) provides vital healthcare coverage to nearly 8,739 low-income immigrants across the state who would be otherwise excluded. It represents a critical lifeline for thousands of Washingtonians and has begun to close long-standing gaps in access to care for immigrant and refugee communities. Add your voice to WAISN’s campaign to prevent cuts to this vital program.
COMMUNITY VOICES
In January, Rabbi David Basior and Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg went to Minneapolis, answering a call for clergy to join the protests there and support the resistance to federal immigration enforcement. They documented their experiences to share with the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice community. Read about Rabbi Kinberg’s reflections and experience in today’s newsletter; we’ll share Rabbi David’s essay later this month.
Thank you to Rabbi David and Rabbi Kinberg for meeting this moment and defending immigrant rights alongside activists in Minnesota!
A few weeks ago, I showed up in Minneapolis.
The interfaith organization MARCH issued a clergy call—an invitation to come, to witness, to learn, and to be visibly present with immigrant communities living under the shadow of ICE enforcement. MARCH gathers rabbis, priests, pastors, and faith leaders for immigrant justice: moral witness, public accountability, and deep relationship with local organizers who have been doing this work every day.
So I went.
We learned from local organizers. We showed up publicly. We protested at Target. We marched through neighborhoods where ICE has been present—not to escalate, but to be visible and to say something simple and sacred:
We are here.
We see what is happening.
You are not alone.
When some must hide, others need to step forward and be seen.
Purim is approaching, and Esther is not a children’s story. Esther is a spiritual confrontation with power. She did not create the empire. She did not control the system. But she used the access she had to protect people.
Her question is still the question:
וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם־לְעֵת כָּזֹאת הִגַּעַתְּ לַמַּלְכוּת
“Who knows? Perhaps you have come to your position for just such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)
Some of us have safety. Some of us have voice. Some of us have visibility. We are not powerless.
We can protect people.
We can refuse indifference.
We can uplift those whom injustice and power-thirst have pushed to the bottom.
Sometimes the holiest act is this: show up. Be seen. Be a moral witness. Do it together.
- Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg
ACCOMPANIMENT STORIES
Last month, we shared the story of Arnoldo and his daughter Karla, who were detained and transferred to the Dilley Detention Center in Texas after federal immigration officials followed Arnoldo after school drop off. A federal judge released them from ICE custody in early February, and both Arnoldo and Karla returned to Spokane. Now that they’re back home, they spoke with the Seattle Times about their experiences at Dilley, where they were forced to have the lights on 24 hours a day and Karla’s only “school” option was an hour of learning in groups not divided by grade.
While they were in detention, JCIJ was able to send Arnoldo and Karla money for their commissary account thanks to JCIJ’s Urgent Needs Fund, made possible with support from the JCIJ community. Donations to this fund enable JCIJ to award grants to immigrant community members based on specific one-time or ongoing assistance needs.
As a reminder, Sarah, one of JCIJ’s Accompaniment Volunteers, shared a story in last month’s newsletter about her experience accompanying Arnoldo and Karla to as they navigated seeking asylum.
Please note: Because Arnoldo decided to go public with their story, we revealed personal information normally kept confidential in line with JCIJ’s Accompaniment Principles.
JCIJ EVENTS
Standing in Community: Building Power & Knowing Your Rights
Thursday, March 12, 2026 | 6:00-7:30 PM | Zoom
Co-hosted by Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW, this virtual program brings the Jewish community together for Jewish grounding, learning and action at a moment of increasing uncertainty and fear for immigrants and refugees.
Under the guidance of Jay Stansell, Andrea Soroko Naar, Executive Director & Co-Founder of JCIJ, and Rabbi Ronit Tsadok, Director of Project Kavod for JFS, we will go beyond “Know Your Rights 101” to explore how understanding our rights builds community power—and what to do when those rights are violated. Jay will be joined by collaborators educator and writer Dori Cahn and immigration attorney Karen Gilbert. The session will offer practical best practices, advocacy tools, bystander and neighbor-to-neighbor strategies and clear steps participants can take.
SAVE THE DATE: JCIJ’s Annual Dinner in Community
Sunday, May 3, 2026 | Doors open at 5:30 PM
Save the date for our annual Dinner in Community! We’ll gather on Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Seattle to celebrate the JCIJ community and grow our impact. Registration coming soon!
Support those in need in the Twin Cities with the Yesod Mutual Aid Fund, organized by the Shir Tikvah Congregation in Minneapolis. The Yesod Fund provides flexible, direct support to individuals and families navigating instability and harm, particularly those most impacted by ICE and the occupation of the Twin Cities. Direct aid to individuals and families reflects our belief that those closest to harm best understand what support is needed, and that safety and stability are sacred.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Indivisible: Constitutional Observer Training
Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Zoom
Co-sponsored by West Seattle Indivisible, Seattle Indivisible, and Common Power, this training will provide the basic concepts and roles performed by Constitutional Observers, which includes: Observing and documenting ICE operations; informing neighbors of their Constitutional rights; learning about resources available to assist families; and strategies for maintaining personal safety The session will be led by Stephen Seidel of Indivisible Twin Cities. Stephen has facilitated the training of nearly 1000 Constitutional Observers in Minnesota, in the midst of ICE's "Operation Metro Surge". Join this training to learn how you can help protect your neighbors and stand up for the rights and liberties all of us are entitled to.
WAISN: Rapid Response Training
Friday, March 6 | 6:00-8:00 PM | Zoom | English & Spanish
Join this virtual training to learn more about existing rapid response networks across the state that mobilize for deportation defense, and work to support communities and keep families together.
La Resistencia: Seeds of Resistence - Celebrating 12 Years of La Resistencia
Saturday, March 7, 2026 | 3:00 PM | Tacoma
Join La Resistencia for Seeds of Resistance, celebrating twelve years of La Resistencia’s fight rooted in the power of resistance, hope, and collective work built through years of campaigns, storytelling, and actions to share the stories told by currently and previously detained, and by families who have been impacted by the exploitative system and inhumane conditions experienced at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). Through this anniversary celebration, they invite the public to continue supporting through donations and be involved in the efforts to shutdown the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), end the detention of immigrants, stop deportation, and to free the all in Washington State.
NWIRP: Housing Justice and Immigrant Communities: Overview & Updates
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 | 5:30 PM | Zoom
Join Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Northwest Justice Project, and Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence for a webinar on housing rights and policy updates impacting immigrant communities and survivors of violence. We will discuss mixed-status family eligibility for federally subsidized housing and proposed changes to rules, protections for immigrant-survivor households, and know-your-rights information for tenants. Advocates and service providers are welcome to join.
WAISN: Know Your Rights Training
Wednesday, March 11 | 6:00-7:30 PM | Zoom | English & Spanish
Join this virtual workshop to learn how to support yourself and your community during encounters with immigration enforcement agents. This Know Your Rights training covers what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes to your home or workplace, how to identify valid warrants, and how to assert your rights safely.
HIAS: Refugee Shabbat
Friday, March 13, 2026 | Times vary
Refugee Shabbat is an opportunity to recognize the profound impact of the global Jewish movement working on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people. Taking a moment to celebrate the work being done and to educate and mobilize your local community is essential. Several synagogues and havurim around the city are offering their own ways of engaging with Refugee Shabbat on March 13 - check in with your congregation to see if they’re participating!
Town Hall Seattle & The Stranger: Speaking of Seattle: Immigrant Rights Are Human Rights
Thursday, March 19, 2026 | 7:30 PM | First Hill
Join Town Hall Seattle and The Stranger for the March 19 edition of the Speaking of Seattle civic conversation series, an evening focused on immigrant rights, community responsibility, and the everyday actions that help safeguard our neighbors. This event is hosted by Marcus Harrison Green and includes guests Angelina Godoy, Roxana Norouzi, Erika Evans, and Alexis Mercedes-Rinck. This timely conversation will explore how federal immigration enforcement policies ripple through local communities — and how ordinary people can respond with care, courage, and solidarity. Together, we’ll examine what it means to treat immigrant rights as human rights, and how community members can act lawfully, safely, and effectively when confronted with fear-based tactics and unconstitutional overreach.
JFS: Torah for Our Time
Thursday, February 19 | 12:00-1:30 PM
Join Rabbi Ronit Tsadok, Director of Project Kavod at Jewish Family Service, for monthly, stand-alone learning opportunities that draw on wisdom and spiritual tools. Project Kavod at JFS connects our critical work to the core Jewish values that inspire and guide our mission. All members of the Jewish community are warmly invited to participate. A kosher, vegetarian lunch will be provided.
VOLUNTEER
Engage with JCIJ!
Interested in joining our work for immigrant justice? We have a range of volunteer needs and opportunities. Get in touch to learn more! We’re looking for volunteer leaders that can support new community support projects in response to federal ICE escalation in the greater Seattle area.
Adopt a Day Labor Corner | The National Day Laborer Organizing Network
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) is calling on all allies to Adopt a Day Labor Corner in your local community. If you are not at risk of deportation, NDLON asks you to consider taking action today. Adopt a Day Labor Corner asks you to go where day laborers congregate–like big box home improvement stores–where immigrant day laborers are at extreme risk of harassment and arrest. Choose a location convenient to you and commit to showing up regularly. Fill out the form on NDLON’s website to find out more and get connected to people in our local communities who have already adopted a corner.
MEETING THIS MOMENT
Know someone who wants to be accompanied to their immigration appointment or hearing?
Contact the WAISN Hotline at 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.
View printable Accompaniment flyers in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Lingala at tinyurl.com/flyersjcij.
RESOURCES
NWIRP Resources | Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Informational videos and PowerPoint slideshows for asylum seekers to help navigate the immigration court and asylum process. In English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Know Your Rights Resources - Every person in the United States has certain basic rights regardless of citizenship.
If you know someone who is currently detained at the Northwest Detention Center, please contact NWIRP at detainedreferrals@nwirp.org or call NWIRP at 253-383-0519/ 877-814-6444.
Family Safety Plans by Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC)
Immigrant Safety Plan document - Safety planning for families who could be targeted is critical. Share this resource widely!
WAISN 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 the Keep Washington Working Act.
Support the Fair Fight Bond Fund.
Know Your Rights App
This app developed by the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) is in many languages and has the ability to read your rights out loud to an ICE or law enforcement agent and send a message to an emergency contact.
Great for All CID | ICE Free Zone Toolkit for Your Neighborhood
The Chinatown-International District neighborhood is preparing to resist ICE/DHS in the coming months and during the FIFA World Cup this summer. Community members developed a toolkit as a templatefor you to organize with your neighbors and defend your neighborhood. Use the templates to create a community defense plan where you live!
LOCAL NEWS
Palestinian asylum-seeker among those arrested by ICE in WA traffic stops | The Seattle Times
King County allocates $2M in funding to help immigrants, bans ICE from county property | KOMO News
As ICE looks to expand detention facilities, several Western Washington cities consider bans | KUOW
Tukwila Passes 6-Month Ban on New ICE Detention Facilities | South Seattle Emerald
ICE agents often ignore safety and privacy practices for detainee patients, Tacoma nurses say | KUOW
WA lawmakers want to restrict ICE access to schools, health facilities | Washington State Standard
ICE eyes new Tukwila office near hub for deportation flights | KUOW
84 years after Executive Order 9066, we are repeating history | The Seattle Times
What to know about controversial automated license plate readers in WA | The Seattle Times
FEDERAL NEWS
U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents describe how they were treated | PBS News
ICE data tells the story of almost 2,000 immigrant arrests in WA | The Seattle Times
Why some cities are ditching their Flock license plate readers | NPR
Trump’s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases | ProPublica
How the ICE Raids Turned Minnesota Politics Upside Down | The New York Times
Habeas Petitions Filed in Second Trump Term Hit Historic High | ProPublica
Children Describe Life Inside Dilley ICE Detention Center | ProPublica
Judge Finds Trump Administration’s Third-Country Deportations Unlawful | The New York Times
Refugees without green cards could be arrested under new Trump policy | The Seattle Times
Trump’s Justice Department Sues New Jersey Governor Over ICE Enforcement | The New York Times
17 measles cases reported in El Paso, including 13 at ICE detention facility | Texas Tribune
SONGS IN THE KEY OF JCIJ
Curated by Dina Burstein
LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii - Bad Bunny won my heart at the Super Bowl.
Keb' Mo' - Lean On Me (Official Audio) - Please let’s lean on each other.
Hold On | Patreon - Singing for our lives in Minneapolis. Learn this one!
New Dangerfield - Put No Walls Around Your Garden (Official Audio) - Kaia Kater sings, “Gather round your children, teach them all you know...”
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, advocacy, and more.