Dear friends and neighbors,
April is Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Heritage Month—a time to honor the generations of immigrants and descendants who have helped build Washington into the vibrant state it is today. Our state’s diversity is our strength, and the contributions of MENA communities—to our economy, culture, and civic life—deserve recognition not just during this month, but every day of the year. It’s why I was honored to introduce House Bill 1412 establishing a MENA commission and recognizing April as MENA heritage month.
As the daughter of immigrants, I know the reality we face today isn’t easy. It’s a scary time. Families are just trying to exist, trying to make it, while the systems we rely on are stretched thin. The economic hardship so many of us are feeling right now is real. When we say we are “just getting by,” it doesn’t capture the full truth of what it takes to survive, let alone thrive, in this moment.
But here in Washington, “just getting by” is not good enough. I believe in a future where everyone has what they need to live with dignity and opportunity—and we build that future by facing the reality, not turning away from it.
Immigrant Rights Are Human Rights—and Budget Priorities
Our budgets reflect who we are and what we value. We know not everything can be funded in times like this, but we also know that despair is not an option. We practice hope—not the kind that ignores hardship, but the kind born from our communities showing up for one another, from grassroots efforts that demand a better tomorrow, and from policies that are crafted with intention, care, and truth.
That’s why immigrant protections are a central priority this year. We are proposing $18 million for the Legal Aid for Low-Income Immigrants Program. This vital program provides full legal representation to people navigating the complex and often terrifying immigration court system—including those in detention. Legal aid can mean the difference between a family being torn apart or staying together. Between safety and deportation. Between having a future here or losing everything.
We’re also investing $25 million in the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Support (WA MASS) program, which offers urgent legal and social services for those seeking safety and stability. Our children and youth deserve better, too. Right now, many foreign-born youth involved in juvenile or foster care systems are being left behind—some even exiting state care only to face deportation. We are urging the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to prioritize screenings and provide immigration legal services for these vulnerable young people.
These investments are necessary because our communities are still not fully seen. This year has also brought renewed attacks on immigrant families. Recent ICE raids—including the detentions in Bellingham and the unjust arrest of longtime farmworker advocate Alfredo Juarez—have terrorized communities and undermined the very values we hold dear: justice, dignity, and compassion. Lewelyn Dixon, a 64-year-old green card holder and longtime UW Medicine lab technician, remains detained in Tacoma ICE custody after a trip abroad—despite her life, family, and work being here. Just earlier this week, we saw the number of international students who have had their visas revoked—without warning—rise to 14, including nine from the University of Washington. And the deportation of Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese transplant physician, shows how federal enforcement continues to devalue immigrant contributions, even those saving lives.
In response, the Latino Democratic Caucus has made it clear: Washington will not stand by. These raids are an attack on our values and our neighbors. We remain committed to strengthening legal protections, funding deportation defense, providing transparency and accountability in detention centers, and ensuring essential services for immigrant communities. In Washington, we take care of each other—no matter where we come from or how long we’ve been here.
Community Investments That Make a Difference
At the same time, we’re advancing budgets that invest in resilience. Our proposed state construction budget includes $4.6 billion in new investments for infrastructure, housing, behavioral health facilities, schools, and early learning centers. In our district, this includes support for:
- $2M for ROOTS Young Adult Shelter
- $100K for Sail Sand Point
- Nearly $4M for repairs and upgrades at North Seattle College
- $500K for the Lake City Natural Area
These projects create jobs and strengthen the foundations our communities rely on.
Our operating budget continues this focus by protecting essential services like healthcare, childcare, food assistance, and public education. Even in the face of revenue challenges, we are preserving important behavioral health diversion programs that interrupt cycles of harm and get individuals treatment while addressing basic needs. Our budget proposal includes $72 million to fund the Trueblood settlement, highlighting the need for holistic behavioral health and criminal legal system reform – an issue I have introduced multiple pieces of legislation on this session.
We’re rejecting cuts that harm working families and are instead proposing a fairer tax system, including a Financial Intangible Assets Tax that would only apply to those with over $50 million in stocks and bonds. No one with less than that would be affected. We remember the lessons of past recessions—and we refuse to balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable neighbors.
Transportation, too, is a cornerstone of our future. With $4 billion in additional revenue, we’re investing in safer roads, reliable multi-modal transit services, salmon habitat restoration, and key infrastructure projects. These investments are about more than concrete—they’re about building a state that moves together, literally and figuratively, toward justice and sustainability.
Choosing Hope, Building Justice
A constituent recently emailed me about a bill and simply wrote: “I’m tired.” I hear you—because I am too. The road ahead is long, and for many, the fear is real. There are no quick fixes. But you are not alone. Take time to care for yourself and loved ones, rest, and find joy. Rest and joy are acts of resistance. Washington isn’t giving up, and neither am I.
This community—we’re in it together. Every action matters. Every conversation. Every act of resistance or kindness. Hope isn’t something we find; it’s something we create—by showing up, by refusing despair, and by pushing forward even when it’s hard.
In my recent video update with Rep. Sharlett Mena, we talked about what it means to be treated fairly and to support one another in spaces that haven’t always welcomed us. These moments of solidarity are what make this work worth it.
Stay engaged. Support your neighbors. Keep the conversation going. We are not powerless—and we will not give up. We’re planning another community conversation soon. Keep an eye out for details or reach out if you’d like to be part of it. Let’s keep showing up—for each other and for the future we all deserve.
With you in solidarity,
Rep. Darya Farivar
P.S. For resources on immigrant protections and more details about our current legislative proposals, visit the Washington Commission on Hispanic Affairs and my website.