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Immigrant & Refugee Support Services
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Every Student is Welcome
Every student is welcome in the Kent School District (KSD). We understand that, due to recent political developments in our country, our students may be experiencing fear, stress, and apprehension.
Because these emotions can negatively affect a student’s ability to learn in class, it is important for our teachers, school administrators, and district office staff to create safe environments that offer care, compassion, and mutual respect.
KSD will continue to align our core values of equity, excellence, and community in support of our students and families who may be experiencing undue stress during this time.
- We will maintain a welcoming environment for all children with celebrations such as KSD Welcomes the World Day.
- We will uphold our practice that a child’s immigration status has no impact on their educational program in KSD.
- We will maintain a student’s constitutional right to equal access to education, regardless of a student’s or parent’s immigration status.
- We understand that a student’s rights are protected by the Constitution and a student’s right to access public education cannot be taken away by the president, the state, or federal legislators.
- KSD will continue to enroll students regardless of immigration status, and without discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin.
Refugee Services
Our refugee support liaison assists refugee students and families in successful school integration and ensuring refugee students are successful in reaching high academic performance.
This program supports recent arrivals and assists them in strengthening the skills, knowledge, and proficiency of refugee parents, schools, and community-based organizations for the benefit of the refugee students.
Resources
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Community Resources
ESL Spanish/English Class
Classes are taught by instructor Rodrigo Barron using a bilingual method, using Spanish to learn English. All classes are free.
All those who have children in the Kent School District are welcome.Kent Food Bank & Emergency Services
Kent Food Bank & Emergency Services provides assistance to families and individuals living within the boundaries of the Kent School District with food and clothing.
King County Library ESL & Citizenship Classes
English as a Second Language (ESL) Class
Learn English grammar, reading, writing, and conversation skills with an experienced instructor. Classes are free.
Citizenship Class
Learn how to become a United States Citizen. Study for the naturalization test, including civics and government questions, reading and writing English, and practicing your interview skills. Classes are free, join anytime!
English Language Classes for Immigrants & Refugees
ReWA offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to help refugees, immigrants, and asylees transition to life in the United States and
find better employment opportunities. We provide English learners with a positive environment to help them gain and improve language skills while learning about U.S. jobs, schools, housing, and other resources. -
Discrimination in Employment, Housing & Other
City of Seattle Office of Civil Rights
- Phone: (206) 684-4500
- The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) advances civil rights and removes barriers to equity.
King County Office of Civil Rights
- Phone: (206) 684-4500
- The King County Office of Civil Rights aims to eliminate unlawful discrimination through education, mediation, and enforcement that is responsive to a diverse King County.
Washington State Human Rights Commission
- Phone: (800) 233-3247
- The mission of the Washington State Human Rights Commission is to prevent and eliminate discrimination through the fair application of the law, the efficient use of resources, and the establishment of productive partnerships in the community.
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General Immigration Policy & Advocacy
American Immigration Council
- Phone: (202) 507-7500
- The American Immigration Council is a powerful voice in promoting laws, policies, and attitudes that honor our proud history as a nation of immigrants.
Detention Watch Network
Detention Watch Network is a national membership organization that brings together advocates from diverse backgrounds to unify strategy, build partnerships and strengthen the movement to end immigration detention.
National Immigration Forum
- Phone: (202) 347-0040
- The National Immigration Forum is one of the leading immigrant advocacy organizations in the country, with a mission to advocate for the value of immigrants and immigration to the nation.
National Immigration Law Center
- Phone: (213) 639-3900
- The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
OneAmerica
- Phone: (206) 723-2203
- OneAmerica advances the fundamental principles of democracy and justice at the local, state and national levels by building power within immigrant communities in collaboration with key allies.
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General Legal Services
Columbia Legal Services
Phone: 800.542.0794
Columbia Legal Services advocates for people who face injustice and poverty. They seek to achieve social and economic justice for all, using policy reform, litigation, and innovative partnerships to reveal and end actions that harm the communities they serve.
Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC)
Phone: (206) 494.0323
Legal Counsel for Youth and Children provides specialized, holistic legal advocacy for children in child welfare proceedings and other juvenile court matters.
Northwest Justice Project CLEAR Hotline
Phone (In King County): 211
Phone (Outside of King County): (888) 201-1014NJP’s mission is to secure justice through high-quality legal advocacy that promotes the long-term well-being of low-income individuals, families, and communities.
Washington LawHelp
Washington LawHelp is a guide to free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Washington. This site provides legal education materials and tools that give you basic information on a number of legal problems, and in some cases, detailed instructions and forms to help you represent yourself in court.
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+Immigration Legal Services
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Referral Service
- Email: ils@aila.org
- AILA is the only legal association in the United States for immigration attorneys. More than 14,000 immigration lawyers are members of AILA.
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo
- Phone: (206) 931-1514
- Colectiva Legal del Pueblo is a non-hierarchal collective organization founded for and by undocumented immigrants working to build community leadership and power for migrant justice through legal advocacy and education.
Immigration Advocates Network National Legal Services Directory
- Email: directory@immigrationadvocates.org
- The Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) is a collaborative effort of leading immigrants' rights organizations designed to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them.
List of Organizations Recognized by Board of Immigration Appeals
- Phone: (703) 305-0289
- The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) adjudicates immigration cases in a careful and timely manner, including cases involving detained aliens, criminal aliens, and aliens seeking asylum as a form of relief from removal, while ensuring the standards of due process and fair treatment for all parties involved.
National Immigration Law Center
- Phone: (240) 314-15001 or 1 (800) 898-7180
- Established in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)
- Phone: (206) 587-4009
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education.
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Obtaining U.S. Citizenship
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Phone: 1 (800) 375-5283
- The USCIS assists families with applying for citizenship, prepare for the test and provided educational materials.
Washington New Americans program (run by OneAmerica)
- Phone: (877) 926-3924
- The Washington New Americans Program (WNA) connects immigrants and refugees in Washington State to the information and legal services needed to successfully naturalize and exercise their civic voice. In the interest of changing a flawed system, we also advocate
to reduce the structural barriers that keep many from achieving U.S. citizenship.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Naturalization Program
- Phone: (206) 568-5609
- The Naturalization program provides citizenship services to legal immigrants who receive public assistance through cash, medical, or food assistance programs administered by DSHS.
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Public Benefits for Immigrants
Centro Rendu (St. Vincent de Paul)
- Phone: (253) 499-4245
- Centro Rendu is a new program started by St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle|King County to communicate with and provide services to the Hispanic Community in King County.
King County Health & Human Services
- Phone: 211
- 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember phone number for people to call for health and human service information and referrals and other assistance to meet their needs.
National Immigration Law Center – Economic Support
- Phone: (213) 639-3900
- The resources on this page provide information about eligibility and other rules governing immigrants’ access to federal and state economic support programs.
Northwest Health Law Advocates
- Phone: (206) 325-6464
- Northwest Health Law Advocates is the consumer voice in the health care debate. We aim to improve access to health care for all Washington residents in furtherance of health as a human right.
Open Doors
- Phone: (253) 216-4479
- The mission of our organization, Open Doors for Multicultural Families, is to ensure that diverse families who have family members with developmental disabilities and special health care needs have equal access to culturally and linguistically appropriate information, resources, and services. We promote culturally competent services through community collaboration, training
and partnerships.
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Resettlement Agencies
World Relief (WR)
World Relief Seattle has come alongside refugee families since 1979, providing support and basic orientation through their first months of transition.
Volunteers and staff welcome these vulnerable families from the moment they arrive at SeaTac airport. They help the newcomers move into apartments furnished with donated supplies and teach them everyday skills, like how to use the stove and pay phone bills.
Caseworkers assigned to each family guide them through mounds of paperwork and connect them to essential social services, helping refugees start on the path to self-sufficiency.
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.
Lutheran Community Services (LCSNW)
Lutheran Community Services Northwest is a non-profit human services agency serving communities throughout Washington, Oregon
and Idaho. Our caring staff provides a wide variety of services to adults, adolescents, children, families, schools, businesses, congregations, neighborhoods and communities. We are privileged to touch the lives of people of all ages, culturesand faiths.Jewish Family Services (JFS)
JFS helps vulnerable individuals and families in the Puget Sound region achieve well-being, health
and stability. Jewish history and values guide our work; therefore, we provide effective services to people of all backgrounds and have a responsibility to meet the particular needs of Jewish individuals and families in the region.Refugee Resettlement Office (RRO)
The Diocese of Olympia's Refugee Resettlement Office helps refugees and Asylees achieve economic self-sufficiency. Our mission is accomplished through resettlement, job placement activities, and business development programs that promote self-employment.