Immigrant and refugee advocacy day 2025

Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Day 2025 is not just an event; it’s a celebration of community power, resilience, and solidarity. Every year, we come together from across Washington State to make our voices heard and demand change at the Capitol. This is a day where we show the power of our communities, advocating for the policies that matter most to immigrant and refugee families. 

Join us in Olympia on Thursday, January 30, 2025, and be part of this incredible movement for justice.

We will march, rally, and engage directly with legislators, showing them that immigrant and refugee communities will not be ignored. This day is about more than participating in activities—it’s about building our collective consciousness around the importance of our campaigns, such as the Health Equity for Immigrants, a bill to codify and fully fund the Apple Health Expansion Program to ensure coverage for all eligible low-income immigrants and refugees, and continued funding for Cascade Care subsidies. We are also fighting for Unemployment Insurance for Undocumented Workers, a bill to create and fully fund a program that provides unemployment benefits equivalent to those available to Washington residents with employment authorization.

But our fight doesn’t stop there. While these are our primary campaigns, we also continue to push for secondary priorities that reflect the breadth of our advocacy:

• Ending Collaboration Between ICE and the Department of Corrections: Stopping the transfer of immigrants from state prisons to immigration detention centers.
• Restricting Solitary Confinement: Limiting its use in state and private detention facilities to only the most extreme cases.
• Traffic Safety for All: Deprioritizing traffic stops for non-safety reasons and supporting low-income drivers.
• State Legal Defense Fund: Securing state funding to support immigrants navigating the legal system.
• Support for Newly Arrived Migrants: Increasing resources for newcomers seeking asylum and other protections in Washington.
• Rent Stabilization: Protecting tenants from abusive rent increases.
• Domestic Workers Bill of Rights: Ensuring fair labor protections for domestic workers.

Registration Information:

To attend Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Day 2025, please complete the registration form where you will provide your contact information, preferred language, dietary needs, and travel accommodations. The form will also allow you to opt-in for important text updates and share any accessibility needs. You’ll be asked to sign a liability waiver and have the option to volunteer during the event.

We invite everyone—immigrants, refugees, undocumented youth, and allies—to join us and make an impact. Share your story, be present, and help drive the change we need to see in our state.

Please submit your application before the deadline of November 29th, 2024.

Venue Locations

Registration and Morning Program Location: Our program will be at the Great Wolf Lodge [20500 Old Hwy 99 SW, Centralia, WA 98531]. * Please note, WAISN will cover parking for 200 vehicles make sure to arrive early to receive free parking at the Great Wolf Lodge. Once we run out of parking vouchers you’ll need to pay $7 for parking.

Afternoon Program Location: During lunch, we will transition to a second location closer to the State Capital Building, The United Churches of Olympia [110 11th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501].

Transportation 

WAISN will be providing bus transportation from the following areas:

• Eastside Bus Pick-Up Locations: Tri-Cities, Yakima and Ellensburg
• Westside Bus Pick-Up Locations: Seattle

Please indicate on this form if you will be needing transportation and select a pick-up location. The WAISN team will reach out to further coordinate your transportation needs.

Caring for Our Rainbow Coalition:

In alignment with WAISN’s commitment to care and community, we will be providing dedicated spaces to ensure all participants feel comfortable and supported throughout the day. This includes a prayer room for those who need a quiet space to observe their spiritual practices and a lactation room for nursing parents. These rooms reflect our values of solidarity and inclusivity—we recognize that a safe, supportive environment enables everyone to fully participate. If you need more information or specific accommodations, please indicate this in the comment section of the form.

In addition to these provisions, we have negotiated reduced parking fees for attendees. We know that participation can present logistical and financial challenges, so these efforts are part of our broader commitment to care and ensuring that everyone, regardless of financial situation, can attend and be part of this important day of advocacy.

We invite everyone—immigrants, refugees, undocumented youth, and allies—to join us and make an impact. Share your story, be present, and help drive the change we need to see in our state.

Please submit your application before the deadline of November 29th, 2024.

Submitting this form is the first step to stand by our undocumented communities in demanding access to safety net programs.

If you would like to donate to support this event, please click here. All donations go towards making this event accessible and equitable for our communities.