On January 11, we learned that the WA State Department of Licensing (DOL) regularly shares personal information with Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. This years-long practice continues to hurt immigrant communities and sow fear across the state. Through the DOL’s cooperation, ICE received information such as name, address, photograph, and place of birth from driver license and ID card applications. ICE has used this …
The Fight for the DREAM Act: We’re Just Getting Started
Last week was filled with a number of twists and turns in the immigrant rights movement and OneAmerica was at the helm of advocating for a resolution for the million undocumented young people living in the US. On Thursday, February 15th the United States Senate voted on four immigration related bill, three of which provided some type of relief for …
The #TrumpShutDown is over, but is a DACA fix on its way?
When the President ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in September 2017, nearly 800,000 individuals who had applied and received DACA suddenly had the rug taken out from beneath them. These are young undocumented Americans who were brought to the United States as children and became eligible for authorization to work, travel, and be protected from deportation. For background and …
Fighting Hate in Burien, WA
Elected leaders and community-based organizations gathered to condemn recent actions taken by an anti-immigrant organization in Burien, WA. As reported by numerous media outlets, in late October as ballots were arriving in voter’s mailboxes, Respect Washington mailed flyers to Burien residents with a list of names and addresses of alleged undocumented immigrants, claiming their connection to crimes. OneAmerica joined King County Executive Dow …
President Trump Ends the DACA Program: Important Resources
On September 5, 2017 US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the DACA program would be ended. Statement from OneAmerica: “By cancelling the DACA program, President Trump has reneged on a promise made to hundreds of thousands of American youth who arrived here as children. There seems to be no limit to the cruelty of this administration or its willingness …
After Sixteen Years, the Consequences of 9/11 are still with US
This morning, the United States held its annual remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Our hearts remain with the victims of the terrorist attacks as we mourn the loss of life and the blow to our nation’s sense of security. Children who were born in 2001 have never known a world in which the United States …
Citizenship Day
Melitina Florentina Quiroz and her husband Silviano have lived in the United States for several decades – Sliviano arrived in 1979, and his wife joined him in 1995. While in America they raised a large and loving family of 9 children, all of whom are now legal permanent residents or citizens. Not having naturalized, Melitina and Silviano were excluded from …
Climate Justice in Vancouver
One year ago, an oil train headed for Tacoma derailed and caught fire in Mosier, Oregon, spilling 47,000 gallons of volatile Bakken crude oil. That event alerted the nation to the threat that the proposed Tesoro Savage Vancouver Energy Terminal – what would be the largest oil-by-rail refinery in the nation –poses to communities along the railroad. But had those …
OneAmerica's 2017 Legislative Recap
In July, the Washington State legislature finally completed work on the State’s operating budget just in time to avoid a partial government shutdown. For months, grassroots community leaders called and wrote to their state representatives and traveled to Olympia to advocate in person for the issues that matter most to our community: an education system that works for all, access …
