How You Can Help Us Protect and Expand Immigration Legal Services:
1. Identify your state legislative representatives
You can use this link and type in your address to identify your two state representatives and your state senator.
2. Identify the email of your state representatives and senator
Find the email addresses for your representatives and your senator through this link. It is also possible to call their offices but we believe that personalized emails will be more effective.
3. Write your representatives and senator a personalized email explaining why this issue is important
We have included some basic language below but we urge you to personalize the message as much as you can as this will be most effective:
My name is _________ and I am one of your constituents, as I reside at ___________. [Please add any details that will personalize your message]
I am writing to urge you to ensure that immigration and naturalization assistance is protected and expanded in the upcoming state budget. I was disappointed to learn that Governor Inslee is proposing to cut funding for immigration assistance services at a time when the need has grown significantly and the cost of providing these services is growing. Please support the request of a coalition of organizations led by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to expand immigration and naturalization funding in the upcoming budget. That request is to restore and expand funding for the Legal Support and Community Safety program in the Department of Commerce and to expand funding for the Washington New Americans program (also in the Department of Commerce) and the DSHS Naturalization program.
I am also asking you to protect critical services to victims of crime in our state by fully funding the $132 million request for crime victim services. I am deeply concerned about the potential for cuts to services that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes. This funding will help protect the stability and continuity of survivor services.
[Please add any personal information on why these issues are important to you]
Thank you,
[Name]
4. Consider attending a Town Hall meeting and raising this issue with your legislators
Many legislators are holding town hall events in the coming weeks, so please consider attending and raising the issue with them.