The Mountaineers
Over the past few months, an increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) visits and raids on places where people work and gather has been reported across the U.S. and here in Washington State. Having a plan that defines how to respond to an ICE visit is an important way to protect the rights of The Mountaineers and our community.
In partnership with an immigration attorney from the Seattle law firm, Ryan Swanson, Mountaineers staff has been developing an ICE visit response plan, for its offices as well as events and activities that may be attended by members of our community.
At Mountaineers event and program locations, it is important for specific protocols to be in place that protect the personal, private information of our staff and members. Designated staff leaders have been trained to respond appropriately in the event of an ICE visit at our offices. We also recognize the importance for volunteer leaders and members to be well-equipped with information on how they should respond if ICE were to visit an event or activity such as a class, presentation, meeting, or field trip (whether public or private).
Our response plan has been informed by our commitments to equity, inclusion, and belonging. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe when participating in our programs, regardless of immigration status.
Please join us on July 7, 2025 for a webinar on how to respond in situations like these. Hosted by The Mountaineers, the presenter for this webinar will be immigration attorneys from Ryan Swanson who have assisted us in the development of our response plan. They will share highlights of our plan as well as general do’s and don’ts, and answer questions you may have that are not otherwise covered.
