Immigration Raids

See below regarding the recent immigration raids in Ellensburg, Washington. Hopefully, the recent statement by Pres. Obama during the State of the Union speech will result in some action in Congress on the issue of immigration reform.

Dan

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DSHS Issues Notice To Some Immigrant Families The WA Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is issuing a notification to some families with children who have health coverage under the Apple Health for Kids program.      Community members may have questions about this notification, which asks people to send in immigration documentation to DSHS.  Please click here for more information about this notice.       Want to Learn More? Immigration raid shakes up Ellensburg - The Seattle Times      Immigration Raid Has Ripple Effect on Ellensburg Economy - Seattle Weekly      Deportations Higher Under Obama Than Bush - NPR      Surprising graphs track the increase in deportations and enforcement spending increasing under the Obama Administration - America's Voice       Join Our List       Dear Dan Larsson,    Last week's immigration raids in Ellensburg, WA were shocking to the community. Our thoughts are with each family impacted and we remain committed to serving the individuals and families affected by these raids with their immigration legal needs.     But do you know what is more shocking?     The Ellensburg raid happens every day.     Immigration agencies are detaining 100-150 individuals EVERY week in our region. It just generally happens quietly, individually and only infrequently in one action like this.     What Happens Next? Most of the individuals detained during the raid have been or will be transferred to Tacoma's Northwest Detention Center, where they will be held pending deportation hearings. Like the over 1,200 other people held in the jail-like facility, these individuals do not have the right to an appointed attorney for their deportation cases if they cannot afford private representation; immigration matters are civil not criminal. In order to address the need for legal assistance, NWIRP conducts "know-your-rights" presentations inside the detention center and provides individual orientation to those who need more information (and don't already have access to an attorney).     For individuals who have an avenue to fight their deportation but can't afford a private attorney, NWIRP will make efforts to place their case with a pro bono attorney or consider the case for placement with a NWIRP attorney as capacity permits.     People who were detained and then released may be served by NWIRP's Granger office (which serves Central and Eastern Washington), so they should contact Granger's Intake line at 509.854.2100 or 888.756.3641.   How You Can Help You can help NWIRP meet the need for the families affected by the Ellensburg Raid, in two ways:     Volunteer for a Pro Bono Case Are you an attorney? NWIRP heavily relies on legal professionals in the community to augment our resources and increase our ability to provide direct representation to clients. We have a large and diverse pro bono panel but even with the help of this committed group of professionals, can take only the cases of a portion of the clients who contact us for help. If you or someone you know is in the legal profession and might be able to assist in taking a pro-bono case, please contact Jordan Wasserman. Advocate for a Better System Let President Obama know that he should be focusing on reforming our immigration system instead of increasing both enforcement spending and deportations as he has since taking office (check out 2 graphs illustrating these increases here) and remind your representatives that you disagree with anti-immigrant legislation and support comprehensive immigration reform.   Thank you so much for your efforts!     Sincerely,   Jorge L. Barón Executive Director