Module 3: Migration to Washington, D.C.
Lesson Objectives
Trainees will be able to:
Identify some of the critical resources migrants in D.C. have access to and what resources they often have trouble accessing.
Recognize the role of state, federal, and community-based actors in offering these different types of resources and how that impacts access.
Complexify understandings of Sanctuary Cities—their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.
Introduction
Sanctuary cities and states refer to jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. Expanding on this formal definition, in recent years, sanctuary cities have taken on a connotation of supporting migrants by providing comprehensive and equal access to resources such as education, health care, housing, etc. As of 2022, over 120 cities and counties, along with several states including California, New York, and Illinois, have adopted some form of sanctuary policy. D.C.’s status as a sanctuary city began in 2011. Ever since, various legislation has been passed to protect and welcome migrants in the District. However, while historically integrating many diverse migrant communities, D.C. now grapples with fulfilling their sanctuary promises against limited funding and local capacities that are further strained by the distinct character of recent arrivals.
Strengths as a Sanctuary City
As a sanctuary city, the District offers a range of services for immigrants. On September 8, 2022, Mayor Bowser declared a state of public emergency and revealed plans to introduce emergency legislation to establish the Office of Migrant Services (OMS) under the Department of Human Services (DHS) with the purpose of providing services—including shelter—to support the needs of newly-arrived migrants. On September 30, D.C. City Council passed the Migrant Services and Supports Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (MSSEAA) which codified the establishment and operations of OMS. Once established, OMS opened its first migrant shelter at the Days Inn on New York Avenue. This would be the first of three shelters for newcomer families.
The Days Inn on New York Avenue sits across from the Nation Arboretum in Northeast Washington D.C. It served as temporary lodging for newcomer migrants in D.C. from Fall 2022 to Spring 2024. Flickr/ Elvert Barnes
In addition to creating an entire office dedicated to supporting immigrants and establishing temporary lodging, D.C. has made efforts broadly to provide access to healthcare, religious supports, and education among others. Through DC Public Schools (DCPS), newcomer immigrant families can receive English-Language tutoring in school as well as additional supports in the summer.
“Como por lo de menos yo tengo el seguro médico, mis hijos tienen educación, y con eso yo creo que basta pues con tener seguro médico y educación.”
“At least I have health insurance, my children have education and, with that, I think it is enough.. just having health insurance and education.”
Listen to Marisol
Because of this access to resources, many immigrants have chosen to stay in D.C. long-term.
“Sí, nosotros queremos [quedar en D.C.] pero quisiéramos poder establecernos mejor…sí para no andar rodando aquí, allá, nos gustaría. Porque más o menos uno ya se va a desenvolviendo en el tema de saber llegar aquí de saber este y eso para uno no es tan fácil, entonces nos gustaría [quedar], pero que, si se vayan abriendo puertas.”
“Yes, we want to [stay in D.C.] but we would like to be able to establish ourselves better and to not be running around here and there, we would like not to do that. Because more or less, we are already developing our understanding of how to get around here, and learning all of that is not easy. So we would like to [stay] if doors open.”
Listen to Beatriz
Opportunities for Growth
Despite the resources that exist for immigrants in the District, there are many gaps that still remain. Primarily, accessing these resources remain inconsistent for immigrant families. While some families report having abundant access to education, healthcare, housing, among other resources, there are many other families who insist they have been unable to access those very same resourses.
Who and what organizations have supported you?
“Pues de aquí, pues no, ningún como veo. Estamos luchando prácticamente todo…no conocemos a nadie.”
“Well from here, well no, none as I see. “We are fighting practically everything…we don't know anyone.”
Listen to Santiago
“No tenemos información de recursos de nada. Nosotros, la verdad, no hemos contado con un alguien que nos guíe, que nos digan ustedes pueden venir a que le colaboren acá en esto. Pues, porque, después más adelante que uno de pronto esté mejor uno no los necesita pero ahora si alguien nos guiará nosotros lo ocuparíamos porque en realidad lo necesitan. Se que no conocemos a nadie aquí.”
“We have no information about resources at all. Honestly, we have not had someone to guide us, to tell us you can come and help us here in this. Later on, when you suddenly feel better, you don't need them, but now if someone would guide us, we would take care of them because we really need them. I know we don’t know anyone here.”
Listen to Beatriz
Additionally, supports like work permits and stable housing are perpetual issues. For example, those who live in D.C. temporary migrant housing are unable to claim their homes as permanent residences on a work permit application. These leaves hundreds of families in precarious housing circumstances without access to legal work, making it more difficult for families to find other ways to support themselves.
“Sí aunque sea ahorita un recurso que todo el mundo quisiera es un como social o algo así pues, permiso de trabajo que nos deja trabajar para que uno conseguir un trabajito por que en todo lados te piden eso permiso de trabajo, nunca te dan un trabajo así sin permiso…y eso se lo mas importante ahorita”
“If even now a resource that everyone would like is a social or something like that, well, work permit… a little job because everywhere they ask you for that work permit, they never give you a job like that without permission… they talk about you as inferior because you work and that is the most important thing right now…”
Listen to Eriko
CBOs: Helpful Actors
Because of the gaps that exist on the part of both federal and D.C. level structures and support, local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have stepped in to fill the resource gaps. These organizations, some pre-existing and others born out of the recent increased levels of migration, support migrants in variety of ways—emotionally, culturally, and sometimes financially. Religious organizations, churches, and non-profits are among this group, offering support such as case management, transportation, food, clothing, phones, among others.
Who and what organizations have supported you?
“Organizaciones como tal, no. Voluntarios sí, voluntarios como ustedes.Iglesias, sí. Gente que te dan comidita, sí”
“Organizations? No. Volunteers? Yes, volunteers like you. Churches, yes. People who give you food, yes”
Deisy
Born as a grassroots response to state-sponsored busing, Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network (MSMAN) is a collective of organizations and volunteers “dedicated to welcoming migrants” arriving in D.C. During the height of bus arrivals, buses would arrive at Union Station and deposit migrants with no resources, lodging, nor sense of direction. Since the local-government response was practically nonexistent before the creation of OMS, MSMAN volunteers received buses around the clock while providing a number of wrap-around services for newcomers including medical care, transportation for migrants with non-D.C. destinations, short-and-long term housing, fresh clothing, and hot meals.
MSMAN 2023 Spending
In 2023, MSMAN spent $300,000 supporting newcomer migrants in D.C. The largest expenses include housing. asylum support, and the free store.
Many MSMAN volunteers opened up their own homes to shelter newcomers who struggled to find lodging. Since its inception, MSMAN has expanded to include a number of services such as housing resettlement support, asylum clinics, prenatal support, wage theft clinics all in addition to MSMAN’s research and advocacy work.
“A raíz de una voluntaria, o unas voluntarias, tengo acceso a “community hub”, a una pediatra y cuando hay eventos donan cosas, voluntaries vienen y nos traen cosas. Ahora nos comunican por teléfono y nos informan de cosas para comida o otras oportunidades. También hay eventos organizados por voluntarios, como este fin de hay una fiesta navideña con comida y regalos para los niños”
“As a result of a volunteer, or some volunteers, I have access to the “community hub”, to a pediatrician and when there are events they donate things, volunteers come and bring us things. Now they communicate with us by phone and inform us of things for food or other opportunities. There are also events organized by volunteers, like this weekend there is a Christmas party with food and gifts for the children.”
Deisy
The DC Schools Project (DCSP), a part of the Center for Social Justice at Georgetown University, is a community-based, social justice education, tutoring and advocacy program that offers English-language (EL) tutoring to newcomer migrant communities and advocates on immigrant justice initiatives in Washington, D.C..
DCSP was established in 1984 in response to the quadrupling of the language minority population in the DC public schools, as a result of the increase in the immigrant population due to the civil war in El Salvador.
The program engages Georgetown undergraduate students in community-based work as tutors and coordinators for the program. Immigrant Justice Initiatives (IJI) is an extension of the advocacy initiatives of the program that focuses on political education, coalition building, policy advocacy, and direct response to the immediate needs of the migrant community. A key component of IJI is its partnership with MSMAN.
MSMAN and DCSP are just a few examples of the dozens of organizations that have contributed to a loose, patchwork response to the large-scale arrival of migrants in D.C. Nonetheless, they are great examples of the way the local community in the District has come together to support migrants and help them access the countless resources they need but currently lack.
Border Policy Rally held on June 19th, 2018 outside Ronald Reagan International Building, sponsored by ActionAid USA and American Friends Service Committee. Flickr/Victoria Pickering
“Si claro, tengo aspiraciones para hablar inglés pero solo mis niños están tomando clases de inglés. Tengo ganas de aprender también y estoy buscando pero no he conseguido una clase de inglés.”
“Yes, of course, I have aspirations to speak English but only my children are taking English classes. I want to learn too and I'm looking but I haven't found an English class.”
Deisy
Dreamers Rally held on March 5, 2018 to protest President Donald Trump’s attempts to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an executive action made by President Obama that protected minors—known as Dreamers— who entered the country undocumented from deportation. Flickr/Victoria Pickering
Conclusion
Despite this complex and often-conflicting landscape of experiences in a sanctuary city, many migrants report being grateful and appreciative of the resources they have received, with some making plans to stay in D.C. for the foreseeable future.
“Lo más impactante acá [en D.C.] es la atención. He tenido atención del seguro médico, ayuda de comida, ayuda de ropa, he conocido muchos voluntarios. Aunque la mayoría de la ayuda está en inglés he tenido ayuda en Español, y yo he tenido un traductor. La atención es muy buena.”
“The most striking thing here [in D.C.] is the attention. I have had health insurance care, food help, clothing help, I have met many volunteers. Although most of the help is in English, I have had help in Spanish, and I have had a translator. The attention is very good.”
Deisy
“Aquí mis primeros días aquí en Estados Unidos q me ha dado la oportunidad de aprender muchas cosas y de verdad muy agradecido con este país por todo.”
“Here are my first days here in the United States, which has given me the opportunity to learn many things and I am truly very grateful to this country for everything.”
Reflection Questions:
Connect the proposed missions of sanctuary cities to the myth of the American Dream. How do they relate to one another? What similarities or contradictions can you draw about how they contribute to a particular narrative about migration?
What responsibility does the United States have to respond to incoming waves of migration? Does the responsibility differ from that of the State? On the local level, what is your responsibility as a citizen and community member?