A year after Kabul's fall, Afghan families fear for loved ones left behind Dinner is more than nourishment. It’s a way to connect, to celebrate, to offer thanks. On a recent evening in SeaTac, Afghan families gathered to thank all those who helped them escape during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. They were also marking the one-year anniversary of that traumatic moment. Ruby de Luna Play AudioListen 4 mins
'Sacrificing everything for hope.' NW poet gives voice to migration stories In some families, the stories of why and how our ancestors immigrated to the United States are passed from generation to generation like lore. But in others...those stories are packed away and locked shut. Those unspoken conversations around migration inspired poet Ricardo Ruiz to travel back home to eastern Washington, and interview family and friends about their experiences emigrating from Mexico to Washington farming communities. Noel Gasca Play AudioListen 22 mins
A charter school chain promised a world-class education. Instead, they billed the state and let kids ‘sit there quietly’ Impact Public Schools has become the state's largest charter school chain by promising families an alternative to what it calls "the factory model" of education. Every student would receive a personalized education plan, Impact told Ann Dornfeld Play AudioListen 9 mins
What can Seattle expect from its new director of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs? Last week Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that Seattle Port Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed would be joining his administration as Director of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. But what does she hope to do in that position? Libby Denkmann Play AudioListen 24 mins
Decades later, a collection of photographs is filling in the corners of Washington's Latino history Irwin Nash photographed the living and working conditions of workers in the Yakima Valley during the height of the United Farm Workers' Movement. Thanks to technology, his photos are bringing that story to the forefront today. Alec Cowan Play AudioListen 39 mins
Private immigrant prison in Tacoma must now pay working detainees minimum wage A federal jury ruled this week that GEO Group, the company that runs the Northwest ICE Processing Center for immigrants, must pay working detainees the state’s minimum wage. Thousands of past detainees are eligible for back pay in a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit. Casey Martin
WA attorney general sues to close Tacoma immigrant detention center Washington state's attorney general is suing to try to force the immediate closure of the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma. Paige Browning
Washington preparing for surge of Afghan refugees in coming weeks Washington is anticipating another wave of refugees from Afghanistan. Approximately 143 Afghan people have resettled here between end of July and August 14th. Here’s what refugees can expect once they arrive. Ruby de Luna Play AudioListen 2 mins
Report: WA law enforcement agencies still cooperate with ICE, despite state law banning practice Local law enforcement agencies across Washington state have worked with federal immigration agents to detain undocumented immigrants, despite a state law banning such collaborations. That’s according to a new report from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. Paige Browning Play AudioListen 5 mins
ICE detained a U.S. citizen at the Tacoma detention center. Now he's suing According to court documents filed in Seattle's U.S. District Court on Friday, Carlos Rios had his American passport on him when he was picked up by federal immigration officials. Still, he was detained for a week at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA. Esmy Jimenez
