Grupo de Solidaridad at the Capitol!

Last week, our Grupo de Solidaridad traveled to Olympia to join many of our immigration organizing partners in advocating for a statewide budget that prioritizes migrant communities. Thank you to OneAmerica and Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) for organizing! One of our leaders spoke at the rally, then we gathered inside to greet our elected officials as they entered the budget hearing. A few of our biggest supporters danced down the hallway and shook our hands as we shared about our priorities.

This work is vital at a time when attacks on migrants are becoming more frequent (37 migrants were arrested in a raid in Bellingham on Wednesday). Holding our elected officials accountable to their words of welcome and sanctuary is necessary to build and utilize the power needed to protect our communities.

As our partners at WAISN have said, we’re calling on lawmakers in the WA House and Senate to adopt the House’s proposed budget — at a minimum — which would fund programs that provide life-saving support like Apple Health Expansion, asylum seeker services, legal aid for low-income immigrants — and provide additional funding for community safety programs in this urgent moment.

Please join us in continuing Grupo's advocacy efforts by signing onto WAISN's petition calling on lawmakers to invest in safety, justice, and care for immigrants and refugees by this Thursday, April 3.