WFSE Demands ICE Release DCYF Union Member Immediately
The Washington Federation of State Employees calls for the immediate release of our member and DCYF juvenile rehabilitation employee Sarah Shaw (Local 341) and her son, Isaac, who have been illegally detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Donate to Sarah's Go Fund Me here.
The single mother and her son were taken at the border on their way home to Everett after dropping their two eldest children at the Vancouver, B.C. airport for a flight.
They have been detained out of state and far away from their family and support system and are now confined in “horrible conditions” in South Texas at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center.
Dedicated Public Servant Taken 2,000 Miles from Family and Friends
At home in Washington, Sarah performs a demanding and often dangerous job at Echo Glen Children’s Center, a medium/maximum security facility for troubled youth that is vital to the safety of our communities and for the youth receiving services there.
People like Sarah who serve our communities deserve our nation’s admiration and respect.
The meager commissary she has been given in detention has been used to purchase basic necessities for her son, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and some coloring pencils and an ice cream.
"An Injury to One is an Injury to All"
“The trauma this has already caused for her and her son may never be healed,” said WFSE President Mike Yestramski, a psychiatric social worker at Western State Hospital. “But our union stands ready to help and support them in any way possible. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
Per the Go Fund Me page, Sarah has been given no charge paperwork and nothing has been filed against her or her son in court.
Donate to Sarah's Go Fund Me for Legal Costs, etc.
WFSE members are encouraged to donate to her Go Fund Me, which is organized by close family friend Victoria Besancon. All funds will go directly to Sarah Shaw’s personal bank account as she is the beneficiary.
Specifically, WFSE calls for Sarah’s “humanitarian parole” under 212(d)(5), which would effectuate the immediate release of her and her son.
A Contradiction of American Values
WFSE vehemently opposes ICE practices and the broader immigration policies that enable them as they contradict American values and human rights.
WFSE represents 52,000 state, higher education and behavioral health workers who serve our communities in every county of our state.
Many of our members are immigrants, and many more support immigrants, migrants, and their communities as public servants in their day-to-day work.
In February of this year, our Executive Board passed a resolution declaring WFSE a sanctuary union committed to “ensuring our union continues to be a safe and welcoming place for all members and their families regardless of their immigration status.”
ICE now has a larger budget than the federal prison system and many militaries around the world thanks to the “big beautiful bill” passed by anti-worker extremists in Congress on July 4.
The bill will also give a $1 trillion tax break to the richest Americans and drain around $4 billion from Washington's budget every year, putting the services Washingtonians depend on in jeopardy.
Learn more at AFSCMEGO.org and on WFSE's page here.
Know Your Rights: Protect Yourself, Coworkers and Family
Given Sarah's unlawful detention, we are re-sharing an important new resource for AFSCME members: "Know Your Rights: Protect Yourself, Your Co-Workers and Your Family," a series of trainings developed by the AFSCME Education Department based on the AFSCME Immigration Toolkit.
Whether you are undocumented, a DACA or TPS holder, a green card holder, or a U.S. citizen with loved ones, co-workers or community members at risk, these trainings are for you.
This course teaches you how to recognize your legal rights—regardless of your immigration status—and how to respond safely during encounters with ICE. Learn what to say, what not to say, how to document interactions, and how to assert your rights clearly and calmly. en español
This course gives you the tools to assess the situation, document what’s happening, assert your rights, and support those targeted—without putting yourself or others at further risk. en español