With continuing uncertainty about the Trump administration’s immigration policies, the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens will hold a series of meetings to try to inform local immigrants of their legal rights.
Diana Perez, Washington state director of LULAC and founder of the Southwest Washington chapter, said the organization is holding two public “Know Your Rights” workshops targeted at immigrants — one in Spanish, the other in English.
The first meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Evergreen Public Schools’ administration office at 13501 N.E. 28th St. That meeting will be in Spanish and will instruct attendees on how to “prepare for the worst-case scenario” Perez said. Instructors will go over how to develop family plans — say, if a parent is deported and a child who is a citizen is left behind, she said — plus how to find immigration lawyers, and how to respond if Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers come to their door.
Superintendent John Deeder said cabinet members and building principals will attend Thursday’s meeting.
Deeder added at Tuesday’s board meeting that the district wants to “make sure everybody understands what our responsibilities are as well as what our stance is as far as immigration officials coming into schools and those kinds of things so that we can hopefully allay some fears that are really rampant in our community.”
LULAC will hold a second “Know Your Rights” meeting at 6 p.m. March 22 at Washington State University Vancouver at the Firstenburg Student Commons at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. That meeting will be in English to cater to non-Spanish-speaking immigrants.
Perez said the organization has been working since the November election to educate local social service providers and community organizations on the “complexities of immigration.” Cracking down on illegal immigration was a cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s campaign, and it has resulted in tense diplomatic relationships between the United States and Mexico as Trump has called for a wall along the countries’ border, and released new guidelines on detaining and deporting immigrants.
Now, LULAC hopes community groups will begin taking their own steps to protect immigrants. For now, Perez is calling on districts to adopt “Safe Zone” resolutions that would clarify when and how federal immigration officials can come on school grounds, and bar districts from releasing students’ immigration status or private information to those officials.
“We as community leaders have stepped up to the plate to help educate our social service providers,” she said. “This is where the call is. You guys need to take the lead.”
Deeder said he wants the board to discuss possible resolutions regarding its policies on allowing immigration officials coming into schools. Portland Public Schools in November adopted a resolution blocking immigration officials from entering schools or accessing student records, though no Clark County districts have done the same.
