[LWVNM Action] LWV Concurrence Proposal on Welcoming Immigrants Position

[Meredith Machen]

Today is International Migration Day, a fitting time for LWVWA to announce
their proposal for adoption through concurrence at the LWVUS Convention in
June.

Please see the full position at the end of this email, and please make time
to attend your program planning meeting and learn more. This position
complements the LWVUS Immigration Position, which was adopted in 2008, and
focuses on immigrants once they are here.

Thank you.


Meredith Machen, LWVNM Immigration Chair


*LWVUS Immigration Discussion Group Co-leader *


LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WA – POSITION on IMMIGRANTS

POSITION, IN BRIEF: The League of Women Voters of Washington believes that
all residents of Washington state, regardless of immigration status or
citizenship, should be treated with dignity and respect. This means that
all residents, regardless of immigration status or citizenship, should have
access to essential state-funded services, have the opportunity to avail
themselves of legal representation in court and immigration proceedings,
and have the opportunity to live and work in safety. The League encourages
all elected officials and government leaders in Washington to continue to
take action to ensure these fundamental rights. It also means that
political leaders in Washington have an obligation to condemn xenophobia,
discrimination, and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

BACKGROUND

The League of Women Voters adopted a nation-wide policy on immigration in
2008. This position supports admission policies that are in the national
interest, as well as protection of immigrants’ rights, regardless of their
status. It does not address many issues of state and local laws, policies,
and programs that concern immigrants once they reside in the US.

In 2023, delegates at the state Convention approved a Study on Welcoming
Immigrants in Washington state. The name of the study reflected
Washington’s official commitment to ensure “the State of Washington remains
a place where the rights and dignity of all residents are maintained and
protected (SB 5497).” The proposed study was to examine a broad scope of
policies affecting immigrants and the role the League could play to ensure
immigrants have pathways to economic, social, and civic engagement in the
communities in which they live.

Over 18 months, the Immigration Study team conducted rigorous research on
the situation of immigrants, the challenges they faced, and the
contributions they made to the state. The study defined immigrants as
persons in the US who are foreign born, with the exception of foreign-born
children who derive their U.S. citizenship from their parents. There are
more than 30 different categories of immigrant status, each with different
rights and benefits, some with pathways to citizenship and others without.
The study findings also pertain to stateless persons who do not have the
nationality of any country.

The study team, composed of League members from throughout the state, used
both quantitative and qualitative analysis to address these issues. The
sources of information include: a literature review; survey of Local
Leagues; state legislation, regulations and law cases pertaining to
immigrants; and census and other quantitative data on immigrants in
Washington. Interviews were conducted with 25 informants representing
expertise in a range of issues, geographic areas, and socio-economic
characteristics of immigrants, including state and county officials,
nongovernmental

organization (NGOs) that are led or work with immigrants, public schools,
healthcare facilities, employers, and immigrants. The team also engaged in
a systematic review of websites and reports issued by state and local
governments and NGOs working with and for immigrants and refugees.

In January 2025, the state board formally accepted the completed study. In
February, the committee began presenting highlights of the report to
representatives from local leagues. Meetings to discuss the findings and
determine if local leagues concurred with the findings took place. From
this consensus process, the positions were adopted by the LWVWA board.


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Susan Martin (ISIM) <martinsf at georgetown.edu>
Date: Thu, Dec 18, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Subject: [LWV immigration] Concurrence on Welcoming Immigrants Position
To: LWVUS Immigration Discussion Group <
lwvus-immigration-discussion-group at googlegroups.com>


LWVWA just published an article about concurrence with our position on
Welcoming Immigrants. Although it is aimed at Washington State members of
the League, the information pertains to all state and local leagues.

https://lwvwa.org/This-Month-in-the-League/13573472?emci=d622357c-dbd9-f011-8195-000d3a1d58aa&emdi=0550d017-54dc-f011-8195-000d3a1d58aa&ceid=10166790

We hope your Leagues will support concurrence. Please let me know if I can
answer any questions

Susan Martin
Donald G. Herzberg Professor Emerita of International Migration
Georgetown University
President, League of Women Voters of the San Juans and member of the LWVWA
board

*A Nation of Immigrants: Second Edition, *Cambridge University Press
<https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/american-government-politics-and-policy/nation-immigrants-2nd-edition?format=PB#contentsTabAnchor>
**************

LWVWA POSITIONS ON IMMIGRANTS


POSITION, IN BRIEF: The League of Women Voters of Washington believes that
all residents of Washington state, regardless of immigration status or
citizenship, should be treated with dignity and respect. This means that
all residents, regardless of immigration status or citizenship, should have
access to essential state-funded services, have the opportunity to avail
themselves of legal representation in court and immigration proceedings,
and have the opportunity to live and work in safety. The League encourages
all elected officials and government leaders in Washington to continue to
take action to ensure these fundamental rights. It also means that
political leaders in Washington have an obligation to condemn xenophobia,
discrimination, and anti-immigrant rhetoric.


I-1: Xenophobia, racism, discrimination against immigrants, and
anti-immigration rhetoric must be condemned at all levels of government,
business, and civil society. In particular, elected officials and
government leaders in Washington state should take clear and consistent
actions to counter these threats to democracy.

I-2: The State of Washington should continue to challenge federal policies
that undermine the rights of immigrants in the state.

I-3: The State of Washington should take leadership in ensuring access to
legal services for all persons, regardless of immigration status. This is
particularly important for immigrants in removal proceedings.

I-4: State and local governments should seek to provide essential services
to all residents, regardless of immigration status.

I-5: The State of Washington should take steps to ensure effective
coordination amongst state agencies and other organizations that interact
with immigrants and refugees, including funding to permit such
coordination.

I-6: Washington state should ensure safe working conditions, fair pay and
benefits, and the right to unionize for all workers, regardless of
immigration status.

I-7: The state should urge the federal government to issue timely work
authorization permits to immigrants and refugees.

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