Spokane Area League Immigration Committee
Our Immigration Committee works to educate League members and the public regarding immigrant rights, and seeks to support to immigrants in our community. The Immigration Committee supports LWV Washington’s position on Welcoming Immigrants in Washington State.
Actions
The committee shared information with the public at speeches at the May 1 march in 2025 and last winter at a Cultural Awareness workshop. The committee had informational tables and offered voter registration for naturalized citizens at Spokane's Pride Celebration and also at World Refugee Day.
Educational opportunities for League members this year included these activities:
- A “Know Your Rights” presentation by staff from Manzanita House, a local immigrant-led organization, explaining immigrant fears of arrest and deportation
- LWV-WA held a conference workshop on ballot translation
- LWV Spokane offered a voter education workshops for immigrants and members
- A panel of local immigration experts spoke on “Immigration Past, Immigration Present”
- A presentation from Spokane Public Schools English Language Development Director.
Future Plans
In 2026 we began our focus on connecting League members to local immigrant businesses and organizations, by organizing dinners at immigrant-owned restaurants and volunteering at immigrant-led events. We are planning a workshop for attorneys who can provide pro bono legal assistance for immigrants. We will continue to assist registering naturalized citizens to vote.
Committee Recommended Resources
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Washington Position on Protecting the Rights of Immigrants (summary)
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Executive Summary of Welcoming Immigrants in Washington State
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Make Protecting Immigrants Part of the League’s National Advocacy Platform—Support Concurrence
