State AG and immigrant-rights groups pledge legal challenges to federal immigration orders

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and leaders from immigrant-rights organizations used the Feb. 14 event at El Centro de la Raza to outline legal responses to recent federal immigration orders and legislation.

Brown said his office — noting its work in prior litigation — is reviewing presidential actions that "infringe on our sovereignty and harm Washington's residents" and that Washington joined other states to stop an effort to alter birthright citizenship "for now." "We were able to stop Trump's unconstitutional birthright citizenship order for now, and we will continue to protect and defend the rights of everyone in Washington over these next four years," Brown said.

Malu Chavez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NIRP), said NIRP filed a related lawsuit last Friday on behalf of community members affected by federal proposals. Chavez described direct legal services the organization provides and warned about congressional bills that would criminalize immigrants or expand expedited removal, which she said would end access to fundamental due process.

Chavez and other speakers urged continued public funding for legal services and called for community engagement during the legislative session. No case numbers or the specific legal filings were read into the record at the event; Chavez said the filing had taken place and described its aims.

Provenance: Attorney General Brown’s remarks and NIRP’s statement that it filed a related lawsuit were made during their respective speeches at the event.