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Inclusion Means Immigrant Communities Are Part of "We the People"

Washington is a diverse state. We are filled with people from all over our shared world. Immigrants make up our neighborhoods, our schools, our hospitals, our food ecosystems, our workplaces, and our state government - including our office. Immigrants are what make our state rich and beautiful.

We are grateful for the lives, cultures, personalities, and work that influence the brightness of our state. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and humanity. This statement is not offered from one office alone. This reflects the values many Washingtonians share and uphold together.

The Washington State Office of Equity is enraged, horrified, and saddened by the treatment of the immigrant community. We oppose this treatment – from the loss of immigrant, protester and bystander life at the hands of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the hatred aimed at the Somali community to the brutal kidnapping of our immigrant neighbors. We uplift that it is not and has never been illegal for people to come seek asylum in this country to seek a better life and opportunity.

We stand by Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown’s statements denouncing ICE’s presence in Washington. We recognize that many community members, advocates, state employees, and leaders across Washington are already engaged in this work. We affirm that protecting immigrant lives requires shared responsibility, coordinated action, and ongoing dialogue.

Right now, about 73,000 people are being held in ICE detention, from innocent young children to beloved grandparents. For many this is indefinite detention without bond. Stories of people being detained, deported, and disappeared are everywhere. This is unacceptable. We name this harm together. We understand that silence, inaction, or division only deepens the violence experienced by our communities.

We uplift Attorney General Nick Brown and the multistate coalition opposing federal efforts to prolong detention of immigrant children. Many of us have seen the story of Liam Ramos, a 5-year-old boy being detained by ICE in his blue bunny hat on the way home from school. We hold this story with care. We invite others to sit with this story and speak about it. We encourage you to be a part of helping ensure that children are protected through collective advocacy and public accountability.

Finding the actual number of ICE related deaths this year has been challenging. Based on their website, the Department of Homeland Security has only shared a portion of deaths from 2025 and has not updated their website since October of 2025. Few news organizations have even reported on the total numbers. We worked thoroughly to find sources to find these numbers, including news outlets and government entities. Community and family members of those lost have been a primary source for this information.

According to The Guardian, so far 8 people have been reported to have died under ICE interaction and custody in 2026. In 2025, 32 people lost their lives due to ICE violence. Last year was the deadliest year of ICE violence in two decades. In 2026 we have seen one quarter of that statistic in just 1 month. Every one of those lives lost was a person. Every one of those lives matters. Every one of those people should be here today. We commit to remembering these lives together. We ground our policy, advocacy, and institutional decisions in the urgency these losses demand.

The Washington State Office of Equity wants to share directly, to any immigrant reading this, you matter. You are an important part of this state and this world. We are grateful for the contributions you have made to this great state, just by being here. “Land of the free and the home of the brave with liberty and justice for all” also means you.

We invite community members, partners, and state agencies to be in solidarity with us. We also invite you to listen, learn, and act alongside immigrant communities.

Resources

If you have experienced or witnessed a hate crime or bias incident, we encourage you to report it here. Look through WA for All’s Refugee and Immigrant Resources page for health care resources, cultural centers, and response teams. Washington’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs (CHA) has put together a Rapid Response Hub for use. As an additional resource, we also uplift the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and their work with the Family Separation Rapid Response Team.

If you are a Washington state employee needing support, we encourage you to reach out to the Employee Assistance Program. We also encourage you to get plugged into the Washington Immigrant Network, a Business Resource Group for state employees who are immigrants.

Please reach out to the Immigration Subcabinet by emailing subcabinet@equity.wa.gov. Subscribe to our Subcabinet Support newsletter for regular updates.

The Immigration Subcabinet exists to ensure Washington continues to be a “welcoming jurisdiction that embraces the diversity of all its residents with courage and compassion”. The Immigration Subcabinet was established by Governor Ferguson through Executive Order 25-09.

The Immigration Subcabinet collaborates with the Washington State Legislature, Supreme Court, other state judges, Tribal governments, Higher Education and many more. The Subcabinet does not provide direct services or legal assistance. However, the Subcabinet listens, elevates community-informed issues, and supports cross-agency responses and action. They do this with the goal to support Washingtonians’ ability to live safely. The Immigration Subcabinet works to help people achieve the life they want for themselves and their families.

Need translation of Office of Equity materials? Email access@equity.wa.gov

Communicating a Washington for All, The Washington State Office of Equity Team equity.wa.gov | Subscribe to stay connected with us!