“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”
Emma Lazarus
National/Policy
- While not yet confirmed, there are signs that the federal administration is considering a major overhaul to the refugee system in the US, focusing on the resettlement of English speakers and white South Africans and Europeans who oppose immigration instead of those fleeing war and persecution. The refugee resettlement cap for fiscal year 2026 is expected to be 7,500, a significant decrease from the 125,000 cap set for the previous year. Read more from the New York Times here.
- Throughout the summer, immigrant deportation, detention, and arrests were common news items as the federal administration continues its immigration enforcement activities. The impacts of anti-immigrant policies across the US have been analyzed by several publications. A recent roundup focuses on current demographics of immigrant detention, the overall economic and social impact of immigration enforcement activities, and the health impacts of detention and fear of detention among immigrants:
— More People are in Immigration Detention Than Ever Before– Vera Institute of Justice
— The Price of Cruelty: How Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda Endangers Us All– National Immigration Law Center
— Health Issues for Immigrants in Detention Centers– Kaiser Family Foundation
— The Health Costs to Children of Stepped-Up U.S. Immigration Enforcement- Migration Policy Institute - With the passage of July’s federal budget reconciliation bill, many immigrants will lose access to Medicaid and food benefits in the coming months. The bill also funds a significant increase in immigration enforcement and immigration-related fees. See overviews from the National Immigration Law Center here and the Kaiser Family Foundation here for more details on the impact of these changes and the timeline for implementation.
Local
- The University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights recently published a report on abuses of immigrant rights in the state, Gross Human Rights Violations in Washington State: Enforced Disappearance and Refoulement, focusing on detainment and expulsion of immigrants between January-July 2025.
- After reports that the Department of Licensing and the Department of Health shared resident data with immigration enforcement earlier this summer, the King County Council passed a resolution to prevent county departments from sharing similar data in the future, according to a KUOW article.
- In September, Governor Ferguson signed an executive order creating an immigration sub-cabinet at the state level to better coordinate immigrant affairs. See more here.
- InvestigateWest recently published an article reporting on the uncertain plight of Ukrainian parolees in Washington State after parole programs were halted by the federal government earlier this year.
Other Topics of Note
In search of resources to assist your patients with immigration concerns? Here are some useful links to assist patients and providers.
- The National Immigration Law Center has published new “Know Your Rights’ guides specific to green card holders and use of the CBP Home app. See their full resource page here.
- The International Rescue Committee’s Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery recently published this article with a list of resources for families experiencing immigration-related crisis.
- Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, based in Washington state, has created a comprehensive Immigrant Safety Plan for immigrant families. They also offer one-on-one virtual sessions to assist in helping families think through and fill out a safety plan directed at their specific needs.
As a reminder, Harborview Medical Center is a public institution that complies with regulatory policy. These materials may not reflect the most updated institutional policy around immigration enforcement action.