Protect all families in Federal Way | Letters

Published 1:30 am Friday, October 31, 2025

Protect all families in Federal Way

In Federal Way, immigrant families are living with a level of fear that is very real. We work daily with women from Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine who are directly impacted. Many are terrified of being profiled, detained, or separated from their children. They worry about going to work, waiting at a bus stop, or even reporting a crime — because seeking help could put them at risk.

We are seeing emotional crises, families living in survival mode, and women afraid to speak up when they face exploitation at work or abuse at home. Some have loved ones currently in detention or facing immigration proceedings.

For example, many Kenyan immigrant women working in adult home care live in the shadows. One woman we support carries all her belongings in a heavy backpack because she does not have a place to live. On her only day off each week, she must search for a bed she can rent for just one night and find a place to wash her clothes before going back to work — with no job protections, no benefits, and constant fear of retaliation or deportation if she speaks up. That is the reality for many immigrant women here.

We are also seeing Venezuelan and Nicaraguan women who suddenly lost their work permits and were told they must prepare to leave the country — leaving them unable to legally earn a living or care for their children. And Ukrainian families in our community are being asked to pay up to $8,000 per family just to renew their parole status and stay safe from a war they fled.

This is happening in Federal Way. Immigration enforcement and policy changes are impacting Federal Way families every single day. Access to a driver’s license can be a lifeline — it allows women to work, take their children to school, and move safely without living every minute in fear.

Last night, I listened closely to the candidates’ responses. My hope is that, once elected, they keep their promises and truly see the reality our community is facing. We needed to hear their position on the immigrant, asylee, and refugee families who live here in Federal Way. From the bottom of our hearts, we ask our future leaders to protect all families — without leaving anyone behind — especially immigrants, refugees, asylees, youth and children, and our Black and Brown communities.

Jaqueline Garcia Castillo,

Founder and Executive Director, Mujer al Volante, Women Driving, Federal Way