WIN Annual Reports April 2019 Midyear Report | Page 14

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WAS H I N G T O N I N T E RF AI T H N E T WO RK
$2.5 MILLION VICTORY TO FUND
IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES
WINNING COMMITMENTS
On April 26, 2018, WIN held a 300+ person
action with Ward 1 councilmember candidates.
WIN leaders called for $2.5 million to expand
legal funding for immigrants, to build
affordable housing on a piece of public land
owned by the National Parks Service, and to
take on a slum landlord in the neighborhood.
After winning commitments from the Ward 1
Councilmember, WIN kept organizing to ensure
that commitment became a reality.
DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS
WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS
DC Attorney General Karl Racine met with
120 WIN leaders on December 2, 2018, to
listen to community members share their
stories on immigration and hardships in the
court system. He committed to protecting
families against separation, to fighting
against the threat to TPS, and to working
with WIN as we organize for immigrants'
rights in DC.
TURNING COMMITMENTS INTO
VICTORIES
At budget forums throughout February 2019,
WIN organized with immigrants, allies, and
legal service providers to turn out nearly 200
people to support the funding. In her State of
the District address, Mayor Bowser
announced, "At budget forums last
month, I was moved by the residents
who came out consistently and asked us
to do more for our neighbors. So in this
budget, we will increase funding for the
[immigrants' legal services] program
from $900,000 to $2.5 million."