The Newsletter of In This Issue 22ND ANNUAL GALA PHOTO RECAP Page 3 REFUGEE ALL STARS PACK THE HOUSE FOR NWIRP Page 4 IMMIGRATION DETENTION IN THE UNITED STATES - AN OVERVIEW - Page 5 Western Washington 615 Second Ave. Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Eastern Washington 121 Sunnyside Ave. 2nd Floor P.O. Box 270 Granger, WA 98932 South Puget Sound 1208 S. 10th St. Tacoma, WA 98405 web: www.nwirp.org phone: 800-445-5771 Fall 2006 22ND ANNUAL GALA AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS! THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED. Jacque Larrainzar, Anne Benson, Magdaleno Rose-Avila On September 16th, 2006, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project celebrated its 22nd Anniversary with the Annual Gala & Auction! This year s event topped even last year s successful fundraising efforts at a whopping $150,000 raised to benefit NWIRP s programs and services for low-income immigrants and refugees in Washington State. The number of guests attending also made NWIRP history as more than 700 champions of human rights gathered together in honor of this occasion. continued on page 3... WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR GUESTS, SPONSORS AND GOLDEN CIRCLE MEMBERS FOR HELPING MAKE THIS EVENING A SUCCESS! GOLDEN DOOR SPONSOR: Muckleshoot Indian Tribe DEFENDER SPONSOR: The Brad and Kathy Smith Foundation ADVOCATE SPONSOR: Colors NW Magazine Cowan Miller & Lederman Cozen O' Connor Heller Ehrman LLP MacDonald Hoague & Bayless Preston Gates Ellis LLP Pyramid Communications Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc FRIEND SPONSOR: American Friends Service Committee American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington State Chapter Amnesty International Puget Sound CASA Latina Consulate of Mexico Davis Wright Tremaine DLA Piper Dobrin & Han, PC Eschelon Garvey Schubert & Barer Hanis Greaney, PLLC Hate Free Zone Inszoom.com Kibble & Prentice Korean Women's Association Lane Powell PC LAW Fund League of Women Voters of Seattle The Legal Foundation of Washington Perkins Coie LLP Pierce County Minority Bar Association Rios Cantor, P.S. Attorneys at Law SCCFT / AFT Local 1789 Seattle University School of Law SEIU Local 6 SEIU Local 775 SEIU Local 925 Skellenger Bender, PS Social Justice Fund NW Starbucks Coffee Company United Food & Commercial Workers Local 21 United Methodist Committee on Relief, (GBGM) University of Washington Law School Community Washington Restaurant Association Washington State Trial Lawyers Association Woods & Associates GOLDEN CIRCLE: Lindsay Barenz Janet Cheetham Deborah & Bryan DePonce Ubax Gardheere Bob Gibbs Marie Higuera Donald & Linda Horowitz Cynthia Irvine Anna J. Lukasik & Carl D. Phillips Bob Pauw Joel Paget Aviva Rose-Avila Bart & Naomi Stroupe Roger & Judy West TABLE CAPTAINS: Ann Benson Jill Dutton Columbia Legal Services Staff Members Kristen Kussman Maribel Martinez Agnes Oswaha Mozhdeh Oskouian Roberta Ray IN-KIND SPONSORS: Melissa Derry, Derry Marketing EcoGraphics Environment-friendly Printing James M. Curtis III, Edge of Glass Gallery, Inc. Pura Vida Partners The Robbins Company Storms Photographics NAME LISTINGS: Coalition of Labor Union Women Puget Sound Chapter Northwest Labor & Employment Law Office (LELO - Legacy of Equlity, Leadership & Organizing)
Page 2 Fall 2006 The Immigrant Advocate Board of Directors Sandra Aguila-Salinas President Ubax Gardheere Vice-President Martine Pierre-Louis Secretary Vicky Dobrin Treasurer Members Beth Peterman Musse Roble Carrie Valladares Staff Magdaleno Rose-Avila Executive Director Seattle Staff Matt Adams Legal Director Miriam Cervantes Milagros Del Aguila Stella Essi Dokey Bina Hanchinamani Ellefsen Emily Headings Kristen Kussmann Janet Lotawa Françoise Maxie Alma Meza Diana Moller Michelle Muri Mozhdeh Oskouian Agnes Oswaha Daniel Pérez Julio Ramirez Martha Ramirez Gilberto Salas Chris Strawn Netsanet Tesfay Interns Damtew Assefa Karen Harmeyer Mariam Goroyan Marco Morantes Rachel Rubinstein Brenda Tausch Granger Staff Soren Rottman Directing Attorney Margaret Gaffney Norma Gutierrez Erik Noel Nelsen Irma Ramos Martha Rickey Adela Ruiz Tacoma Staff Nancy Acevedo Virginia Cole Jorge Baron New Voices Fellow Angelica Chazaro THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE Dear Friends, Today I am reminded of the diligent work that so many do on behalf of immigrants and refugees. It is this persistence in the pursuit of justice that gives us all hope. Magdaleno 'Leno' Rose-Avila This month Salvador Rivera, an American Citizen, returned to Seattle after being deported to Mexico five years ago. An immigration judge disregarded Rivera s birth certificate causing this unlawful deportation. Rivera s case has taken five years too many to resolve due to the resistance of the U. S. government to admit its wrong doing. They have punished this man and his family because of a bad decision made by an immigration judge. This case is a good example of how a team of attorneys and a paralegal made an A letter from our Executive Director incredible difference in another man s life. It was not an easy road for Rivera and his legal team... it was filled with many obstacles like many of the cases and actions that people take every day when they stand up for the most vulnerable. In Rivera s case justice prevailed because no one in the case was deterred in their pursuit of justice. We must continue to support all those who raise the flag of human rights and immigrant rights. History will show that those involved in this movement of immigrant rights were on the right side of justice. It makes us all proud to be part of this effort to shine a light on all of the current injustices. Keep up the good work! We will change this world of ours. My Best, NWIRP RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM THE WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES: This Fall NWIRP was awarded a 2006 Ecumenical Leadership Award presented by the Washington Association of Churches. Leno IT S TIME FOR A FALL PHONATHON! On November 29th and 30th, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project volunteers will be calling our friends to raise critical funding for legal services benefiting low-income immigrants and refugees. Phone calls are necessary to keep in contact with our donors and to raise support for immigrant rights! Help us call your fellow NWIRP supporters to remind them to make a year-end gift. We honor our donors wishes with regards to telephone fundraising. We will remove anyone from our phonathon list who requests that they not be called. Please contact Michelle at 206.957.8635 for more info or send an email to michelle@nwirp.org, to make a donation or to request that you not be contacted by phone. PHONE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Dates: Wednesday, November 29, Thursday, November 30 Time: 6:00 9:00pm Location: Our Seattle Office (615 2nd Avenue, Suite 400) Details: Training and Dinner provided! Contact Michelle (michelle@nwirp.org or 206.957.8635) to sign up and be sure to let her know which dates you prefer. If you live outside the Seattle area and would like to help, you ll miss the dinner and camaraderie, but you will still get the satisfaction of seeing your volunteer hours turn into funding in support of immigrant rights! NWIRP MERCHANDISE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE! New styles to choose from for everyone! Check out our NWIRP baby gear, zip-up hoodies, baseball-t s and more at WWW.CAFEPRESS.COM/NWIRP
Fall 2006 The Immigrant Advocate Page 3 22ND ANNUAL GALA AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS!... continued from page 1 This year s event was hosted by dedicated Emcee Enrique Cerna (Host of KCTS Conects). Arnoldo García, of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights gave a keynote speech. Client Speaker Floridalma Ajpacja Casia, shared her heartbreaking story of abuse at the hands of her mother, exploitation by a missionary, physical trauma and finally hope through NWIRP. The Gala & Auction was also the scene for the debut of NWIRP s new video, featuring a client story, interview with staff and scenes from the detention center. Ken Alhadeff, Honorary Chair and Chairman of Elttaes Enterprises gave an inspiring speech asking attendees to give. 1 The Golden Door Award was presented to both Ann Benson, Directing Attorney of the Washington Defender Association s Immigration Project and to El Comite Pro Amnistia y Justicia Social for their outstanding work in promoting justice and dignity for immigrants and refugees. This year s Amicus Award was presented to The Law Office of Gibbs Houston Pauw for their exceptional participation and commitment to pro bono legal representation to assist and further the rights of immigrants and refugees. 2 7 $150,000 RAISED TO BENEFIT NWIRP S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES!!! 3 1. Bob Pauw and Robert Gibbs, Amicus Award Recipients 2. Representatives from El Comite Pro Amnistia y Justicia Social, Golden Door Awardees 3. Internationally renowned balafon player Naby Camara and crew. 4. Guests enjoy dancing to DJ Darek Mazzone s Global beats 5. Gala Honorary Chair, Ken Alhadeff 6. Client Speaker Floridalma Ajpacja Casia and her NWIRP Attorney Diana Moller. 7. Energized guests raising their bid cards to pledge money to NWIRP. Photos courtesy of Storms PhotoGraphic. A big thank you to Michele and Jack Storms for taking taking photos at the event. Please visit www.stormsphoto.com for more! 6 5 4
Page 4 Fall 2006 The Immigrant Advocate On July 13th, more than 600 supporters turned out to hear Sierra Leone s Refugee All Stars play at Nuemos! DJ Darek Mazzone of KEXP s Wo pop show warmed up the house followed by Cuchata as the opener. The club was packed and everyone was dancing. If you missed this event or can t wait to see the band again, don t worry because they are coming back!!! Yep, that s right... they are back in the U.S. to promote the release of their new album and will be in Seattle at the Showbox on November 12, 2006. Tickets on sale at all TicketsWest Outlets. A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT NWIRP!!! Spread the word and hope to see you on the dance floor! For more information about this event visit www.nwirp.org. The Refugee All Stars of Sierra Leone band was formed in refugee camps in Guinea during the brutal Sierra Leonean civil war. Their upbeat reggae and traditional Sierra Leonean music reflects the struggles and hopes of life as refugees. This band is also the subject of the documentary Living Like a Refugee, which is touring film festivals throughout the world. To learn more about Sierra Leone s Refugee All Stars visit www.nwirp.org or www.refugeeallstars.org. 1.) Ashade Pearce, Sierra Leone s Refugee All Stars 2.) The club was packed! 3.) Sierra Leone s Refugee All Stars get everyone dancing! 4.) Marcelo Quinonez and members of Cuchata 5.) DJ Darek Mazzone Photos courtesy of Storms PhotoGraphic. A big thank you to Michele and Jack Storms for taking taking photos at the event. Please visit www.stormsphoto.com for more! 1 5 2 A BIG THANK YOU to Darek Mazzone of Host of KEXP s 90.3 Wo pop show for helping to coordinate the July concert and a special thanks to the members of Cuchata and Jon Kertzer of KEXP s 90.3 The Best Ambiance show. Last but not least, thanks to Amnesty International of Puget Sound and Social Justice Fund NW for sponsoring this event. 4 3
Fall 2006 The Immigrant Advocate Page 5 IMMIGRATION DETENTION IN THE UNITED STATES - AN OVERVIEW BY ANDREA BLACK, COORDINATOR, THE DETENTION WATCH NETWORK On any given day, over 21,000 people are detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a patchwork of over 300 facilities across the country, largely hidden from public view. The facilities include eight run by DHS itself, six run by for-profit companies (including then Center in Tacoma, Washington), and 312 county and municipal jails that have won lucrative federal contracts and hold about 57 percent of the detainees. Those detained include men, women, children, the mentally ill and people suffering from serious illnesses. They include asylumseekers and survivors of horrific abuse who have fled for their lives, only to be detained for months, some even years, before being released. Many survivors experience severe re-traumatization as a result of prolonged detention. Many are lawful permanent residents facing mandatory deportation and permanent exile from their families for minor crimes. Many are middle-aged and had lived in the United States since they were children. They have an extensive network of U.S.-citizen and permanent-resident relatives. Immigrants and asylum-seekers are held in prison settings surrounded by barbed wire and escorted to their immigration hearings behind locked prison doors. Many were spirited far away from families and communities that could provide support and shelter during the process. All are held at a high cost to U.S. taxpayers, while equally effective, more humane and less costly alternatives are available. The Department of Homeland Security spends an average of $65-$80 a day to detain one person, although in some facilities the costs have been as high as $225 a day. More than 230,000 people are detained over the course of a year. From 1994 to 2002, the ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) detention and removal budget soared from $239 million to $1.1 billion. Immigration law is similar in complexity to the IRS tax code. Under this Byzantine law, people could face permanent exile from their families and, in some cases, possible persecution and even death. Roughly 90 percent go before a judge without the help of an attorney since there is no right to government-appointed counsel. In these isolated settings it is difficult, even impossible, to get access to phones, mail or legal materials for self-representation. Many cases stretch on for years as they make their way through a labyrinth of appeals. There are no binding uniform detention standards to ensure humane treatment. Detainees are often subjected to arbitrary punishment, including strip searches, shackling, solitary confinement, neglect of basic medical and hygienic needs and denial of outdoor recreation. Verbal, physical and even sexual abuse is regularly reported. Some detention facilities have no outdoor spaces and offer only fresh air panels on windows as the sole source of light and ventilation while detainees languish for months or even years. At the request of some House Democrats, the General Accounting Office agreed this month to investigate alleged mistreatment of detainees and examine how ICE monitors their conditions. In anticipation of stricter immigration enforcement, new legislation proposed by Congress would greatly expand the detention network, a costly and overcrowded system already rife with abuse. One proposal calls for using closed military bases, creating armed camps throughout the country. This is not our only choice. There are alternatives for asylumseekers and immigrants with community ties and an incentive to appear to resolve their cases. Supervised release with legal and social service support have proved more humane as well as secure and cost-effective. Detention is an issue that especially concerns all Washingtonians as the largest Detention Center in the Northwest is now located in Tacoma, Washington. The NW Regional Detention Center opened in 2004 housing 500 detainees on any given. That number rose to 800 detainees in the spring of 2006 and is scheduled to increase to 1,000 at any time. Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is the only source of hope for detained low-income immigrants and refugees who cannot afford a private attorney. NWIRP HIRES NEW LEGAL DIRECTOR, MATT ADAMS! NWIRP would like to welcome Matt Adams as the new Legal Director of NWIRP s Seattle Headquarters! Matt started his career at NWIRP as a staff attorney in our Granger Office in 1998. Adams then became Legal Director of the Granger office in 2000. As Adam s Federal Litigation successes grew, NWIRP was able to create the Impact Litigation Unit in 2005 where he leads the fight for justice on cases at the 9th District and beyond. In September, Matt Adams accepted the position of Legal Director for the Seattle Office. NWIRP would like to congratulate Matt on all of his successes and welcome him as our new Legal Director!
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project 615 Second Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID SEATTLE, WA Permit No. 4659 UPCOMING EVENTS: October 19th AILA RECEPTION AT NWIRP S SEATTLE OFFICE, 6-8PM November12: SIERRA LEONE S REFUGEE ALL STARS AT THE SHOWBOX (see insert for details) check out www.nwirp.org for more details! i NWIRP hires new Legal Director, Matt Adams (see pg. 5 for more details). IMMIGRANT FAMILY ADVOCATE PROJECT: A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NWIRP AND THE UNIVERSITY IF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF LAW Formed in 1996 under the leadership of law professor Anita Ramasastry and NWIRP staff, IFAP is collaborative partnership between NWIRP and the University of Washington School of Law. Through IFAP, UW law students and volunteer attorneys are trained to assist immigrant survivors of domestic violence with obtaining immigration status through the I-360 visa petition process, which is available to non-citizen survivors of domestic violence who are married to abusive U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. IFAP student leaders organize several weeks of mandatory student trainings and an all day CLE for volunteer attorneys, many of whom are not immigration lawyers. Trainings are conducted by NWIRP staff, local immigration attorneys, and domestic violence advocates. Afterwards, volunteer attorneys are matched with two UW law students and a domestic violence client referred by NWIRP. NWIRP provides extensive technical assistance throughout the course of the case. If you would like to be an IFAP pro bono attorney, please contact Bina Hanchinamani Ellefsen at bina@nwirp.org or 206-587-4009, ext 105. This year s IFAP CLE will take place on November 14th, after which attorneys and law students will be matched with clients and will begin case work in January 2007. An IFAP Success Story: Laura had grown up in a small village in Mexico. Before her 18th birthday, she was forced by her father to marry a man that she had never met before. She moved to the U.S. with her new husband, who was a U.S. citizen. He degraded her verbally, controlled every aspect of her life, and began hitting her, kicking her, and sexually abusing her. He threatened to have her deported and even threatened to kill her. After nine years, Laura courageously sought help from a domestic violence program in Seattle, through which she accessed shelter and counseling. However, Laura still lived in fear of deportation and could not work legally to support herself and her children. Laura s social worker contacted NWIRP who connected her with the Immigrant Family Advocacy Program (IFAP). Volunteer attorney Rachel Byrne and law students, Andrea Schmitt and Katie Schmidt took on Laura s I-360 case. She is now free from her abuser and from the threat of deportation and violence. When asked how this changed her life, Laura said, I feel safe, protected. No one can make me leave this country, leave my children. Nobody hurts me... I thank God every day for your help.