SPOKANE, Wash. – Community members gathered at Riverfront Park for a vigil for Alex Pretti, as local organizations that provide resources for immigrants and refugees say the violence in Minnesota is creating fear in the area.
While lawmakers debate the issue, people gathered to remember Pretti. Many people at the vigil brought signs expressing their frustration over the violence they have been seeing in Minnesota. They also acknowledge the possibility of something similar happening in Spokane.
Local organizations say they are having trouble keeping up with immigration policy on the legal front as well.
Immigrants and asylum seekers in the Inland Northwest often have difficulty navigating the complicated legal system and immigration court. That is why they turn to organizations like Manzanita House, which provides free legal aid. But the demand for those services is only increasing.
“The system is constantly shifting and that makes everything more difficult. It puts grit in the gears in a way that I would argue is not necessary and it really is not serving the interest of justice and a safe community,” said Samuel Smith, the director of immigrant legal aid at Manzanita House.
Smith said the need far exceeds current capacity.
“All of these organizations, these legal services staff could expand multiple times and we would just be beginning to meet the need that exists in Spokane,” Smith said.
He says this is partly because of aggressive Trump administration policies on deportations creating fear among immigrants.
“We’re seeing this incredible amount of federal overreach to the point of death. That is compounded by the rapid pace of change where it feels like three quarters of my job right now is trying to figure out what is immigration law? What policies have changed at the agency level?” Smith said.
Smith says the federal government is trying to dismiss many immigration cases as quickly as possible. But some are deported right after their case is dismissed in court.
Manzanita House also partners with Thrive to help the refugees it works with. Thrive says its clients are also having trouble finding safe and trustworthy organizations to help them find a home in the area.
“Right now, a lot of people are afraid because they’re seeing things on TV about how the government is operating, they don’t know who they can trust. It’s really important to have local, trusted organizations that people know they can come to if they need help,” said Mark Finney, the executive director of Thrive International.
Several more protests regarding ICE and the death of Alex Pretti are planned for later this week, including a march from Riverfront Park to the courthouse on Wednesday.
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