Asylum Seekers in Washington State
Remember and Resist – Day of Remembrance
Border Crossing
The border town of Arivaca, Arizona, is no stranger to migrants crossing through the desert and mountains in hopes for a better life in the U.S. The documentary film Undeterred, shows how militarizing the border can result in migrants dying in the desert and in the neighborhoods of towns on the border. The film was featured at the 2018 Social Justice Film Festival in Seattle. KBCS’s Ruth Bly recorded the panel discussion following the screening.
Asylum Status
What is asylum status, the process for applying for asylum, and what are the chances of attaining it? Maggie Cheng, a Northwest Immigrant Rights Project staff attorney, speaks with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama about what it’s like to seek asylum status in the United States today.
Activist Reflects on Immigration Issues and DACA
KBCS’s Yuko Kodama recently spoke with Maru Mora Villalpando, community organizer of Northwest Detention Center Resistance and activist and organizer for #Not1More Deportation, about immigration issues and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Potential Impact of the DACA Repeal
The Trump administration recently announced a repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which shelters young undocumented people who were brought to the U.S. as children, in good standing with the law and who are educated. There are 800,000 of these Dreamers throughout the country and 18,000 of them reside in Washington state.
KBCS’s Yuko Kodama spoke with Community to Community and Detention Watch Network Community organizer and DACA recipient, Jose Manuel Carillo yesterday about how the repeal of the DACA program impacts the national conversation on immigration policy.
Sanctuary Services for Undocumented Immigrants
Legal representation for undocumented immigrants is a large need to fill. In April, the King County Council approved funding to assist this need. Even with the county’s funding, a gap remains. At a recent YES! Magazine panel, immigrant experts gathered to discuss support for sanctuary services and legal support. This four-part series features excerpts from various speakers from the event.
Immigration And Sea-Tac Airport Protesters
President Trump’s recent executive order, which restricts immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries, was met with widespread protest and confusion over the weekend. People who had just arrived in the U.S. were held at airports, and some were sent back out of the country, as Customs and Border Protection, activists, lawyers, and elected officials struggled to interpret the order’s implications. 7th District Representative Pramila Jayapal was working to get people released from Sea-Tac airport. Also at Sea Tac airport Saturday, Seattle city council member and activist Kshama Sawant led close to one thousand people in a protest. They voiced support for arriving immigrants and opposition to the ban. Listen to criticisms of the executive order, and find out what it was like for those who were protesting at Sea-Tac airport.