Our Mission Statement
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education.
Our Vision Statement
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project strives for justice and equity for all persons, regardless of where they were born.
Our Values and Principles
Dignity: We all deserve to have our human dignity and fundamental rights respected.
We respect the dignity of all persons.
- We advocate for laws and policies that prohibit discrimination against all who experience oppression.
- We oppose the use of racial profiling and other discriminatory practices by immigration enforcement and law enforcement.
- Because derogatory language dehumanizes people and facilitates abuse of human rights, we advocate for an end to terms such as “aliens,” “criminals,” illegal immigrant,” and “illegals.” We advocate for respectful language that honors our shared humanity and builds community.
Fairness: Laws and policies should be fair and equitable. When liberty or fundamental rights are at stake, all people are entitled to meaningful due process and competent legal representation.
- We provide high-quality legal representation at little or no cost to those in immigration and deportation proceedings.
- We prioritize the representation of low-income immigrants, people impacted by the criminal legal system, and people who face other forms of oppression.
- When laws and policies are unjust, we work for systemic change.
- We oppose the practice of immigration detention – the incarceration of people for immigration violations.
- We work within an immigration system that is broken and unfair in many ways, and in doing so we remain accountable to our clients and their interests.
Solidarity: We are connected by our common humanity, by global forces that affect our lives, and by historic patterns of oppression, discrimination and inequity. For society to be just and whole, we must work together to undo systemic oppression in its many forms.
- We recognize that global political and economic structures underpin migration patterns and exacerbate the hardships that can accompany a person's decision to migrate. We recognize the role that the U.S. has played and continues to play in supporting such structures.
- We are aware that we, individually and as an organization, may act in ways that further systems of oppression. But we understand ourselves as an anti-oppression organization, working to help individuals and to change societal structures that are harmful.
- We support and participate in partnerships because we value the power of collaboration among individuals, communities, organizations, and social justice movements.
Self-Determination: Society thrives when all people have opportunities to live their lives to their fullest potential.
- We advocate for the right to education and work with just and favorable conditions. This includes working conditions for immigrants that are free of discrimination and allow them to support themselves and their families, with equal pay for equal work.
- We advocate for families to stay together.
- We work in ways that value and recognize our clients' choices, potential, and power.
Safety: People and communities thrive when we all feel and experience safety. Safety should never be used to justify oppression.
- We defend the rights of immigrants to be protected from personal violence as well as institutionalized abuse and discrimination.
- We seek to do our work in a way that contributes to people's safety – individually, in their relationships with others, and in their communities.
- We work to address the systemic injustices that affect the safety of everyone in our community.
Inclusion: We see diversity and inclusiveness as a source of strength.
- We value and celebrate the contributions of immigrants in this country.
- We recognize and respect differences within and among immigrant communities.
- We work to ensure diversity in our organization, and to build strength in our diversity.
- We strive to reflect and represent the communities that we serve.
- We value our clients, staff, board, volunteers and supporters, and all they do to strengthen our communities.