Immigration Advocates Escalate Civil Disobedience in Seattle,WA

In the Northwest of the nation, the Washington Immigration Reform Coalition (WIRC) is joining in on the escalation of civil disobedience to push for immigration reform. There is widespread frustration that we are approaching the end of May without a viable bill for comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate, and toward unresponsive local politicians, like Rep. Dave Reichert, Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, and Rep. Doc Hastings, for not taking a stand on the issue.

Yesterday, in Seattle, WA, over 250 people from different ages and ethnicity gathered in front of the federal building around 11 a.m. They then proceeded to march and block the elevator entrances of a 43-floor skyscraper that houses the downtown Seattle offices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Inside and outside the building, people chanted and demanded an end to the separation of families. Those assembled included One America Executive Director Pramila Jayapal, El Centro de la Raza Executive Director Estela Ortega, and Seattle City Councilman Larry Gossett, who were willing and hoping to get arrested to bring attention to the cause. "I'm willing to take the risk because of the importance of the issue," said Gossett.