OUR PROGRAMS

Through hands-on immigrant assistance programs, AIDNW’s small staff and over 200 volunteers address the needs of detained persons held inside the Northwest ICE Processing Center, and upon release. We also assist released asylum seekers who decide to stay in the Pacific Northwest.

Our working relationships with the detention facility administrators, and with other immigration support organizations in the area, allow us to respond quickly to the needs of new immigrants as procedures, government legal rulings, or other circumstances change.

Volunteers gather foreign title books for the detention center library to help relieve immigrants’ boredom from confinement.

SUPPORT FOR DETAINED IMMIGRANTS

Phone calls within the detention center are not free, making it difficult for immigrants to hear the voices of the outside world. Detained immigrants can call the AIDNW Hotline to request phone funds to contact family, friends, or legal help. Detained persons must await the decision of an immigration judge while their case is pending and may not have friends or family near enough to visit regularly. AIDNW arranges consistent volunteer visits or pen pals for community connections. Our staff works with ICE to get books into the NW ICE Processing Center and to establish an Art Supply Bank. AIDNW volunteers gather books in various languages, and arts and craft supplies, to relieve the boredom from months or years of confinement.

IMMIGRANT HELP UPON RELEASE FROM DETENTION

The AIDNW Welcome Center, located in an RV outside the release gate of the NW ICE Processing Center, is staffed by trained volunteers who warmly greet released immigrants and asylum seekers. Volunteers provide phone access, snacks and beverages, onward travel arrangements to family or sponsors, backpacks, new weather appropriate clothing, document bags, and safe temporary housing as needed. Volunteer drivers serve a critical role by taking newly released immigrants from the Welcome Center to the airport, bus, or train station, or to AIDNW’s Tacoma Hospitality House. Volunteers accompany immigrants inside the transport facilities if they do not speak English or lack travel experience.

Volunteers in action at the AIDNW Welcome Center, assist immigrants with travel to family or sponsors.

The AIDNW Tacoma Hospitality House offers released immigrants overnight housing and meals before travel to family.

TEMPORARY IMMIGRANT HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Released immigrants who need overnight accommodation while family members plan for their travel can stay at the Tacoma AIDNW Hospitality House. Stay periods vary from overnight up to three months for a limited number of immigrants who plan to remain in the area. Guests are matched with a volunteer buddy who meets with them on a weekly basis; takes them to their appointments, educational services, and to buy groceries; and helps them to get to know Tacoma.

CONNECTION TO PARTNER IMMIGRANT ASSISTANCE SERVICES

For released immigrants who receive asylum, or are awaiting asylum approval or work permits via their release on a humanitarian visa, AIDNW connects them with partner organizations for additional legal and other aid.

RELEASE FROM IMMIGRATION DETENTION IS THE FIRST STEP TO A NEW LIFE

Asylum seekers released from the Northwest ICE Processing Center enter another stage in their immigrant journey to the U.S. The asylum process is complex and can take months to a few years. While asylum applications are pending, some can take classes and apply for work permits — a period that often feels like “limbo”. The burden of proof is on the applicant to show they fall under one of the five protected grounds for asylum. Collecting proof documents from afar takes time.

For asylum seekers who remain in western Washington, AIDNW provides connections to area nonprofit organizations that help with legal immigration case representation. AIDNW can also provide temporary immigrant housing and meals at the Tacoma Hospitality House. Then AIDNW connects asylees to further assistance for resettlement including permanent housing, English classes, work permits and employment, medical insurance, and other needs.

VOLUNTEER WITH AIDNW

Volunteer with AIDNW for a few hours a month and meet immigrants from around the globe! Our volunteer community is a diverse group of community service-minded people who hail from Seattle to Olympia, Gig Harbor to Enumclaw.