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Latinos Want Washington Lawmakers To Create 'Safe Harbor'

Crowds gathered inside the Legislative Building in Olympia Monday, to watch a colorful performance and listen to lawmakers speak during Latino Legislative Day.
Jeanie Lindsay
/
Northwest News Network
Crowds gathered inside the Legislative Building in Olympia Monday, to watch a colorful performance and listen to lawmakers speak during Latino Legislative Day.

President Donald Trump’s immigration policies created a sense of urgency at the annual Latino Legislative Day the Washington state Capitol Monday. Several hundred activists converged in Olympia, Washington, with a message for state lawmakers.

“We must build together a safe harbor for everybody,” said Maru Mora Villalpando, an undocumented immigrant and CEO of a group called, Latino Advocacy.

She and others at a rally on the Capitol steps thanked Gov. Jay Inslee for his recent executive order in response to President Trump. It prevents state employees from helping the federal government enforce civil immigration laws.

But Villalpando is concerned that it lacks clear accountability standards.

“And we hope that the legislature actually takes a real step in creating some kind of public policy that includes enforcement,” she said.

Concern about the president’s policies even led to rumors that immigration agents might meet or stop busses traveling from the Capitol. That didn’t happen.

Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network

Jeanie Lindsay is a state government reporter for the NW News Network. She previously covered education for The Seattle Times and Indiana Public Broadcasting.