Immigration

• Government

Everything we know about the Spokane ICE protests

Over 24 hours of boots-on-the-ground independent reporting.

By Erin Sellers, Aaron Hedge, Valerie Osier and Luke Baumgarten

/ 12 Jun 2025

• Immigration

Trump’s new list of sanctuary jurisdictions includes the county but not Spokane city

The Department of Homeland Security has posted a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” across the nation in an effort to force more collaboration with federal immigration officers.

By Erin Sellers and Aaron Hedge

/ 30 May 2025

• Immigration

ICE reportedly surveilled local immigration activist

Jennyfer Mesa, founder of Latinos en Spokane and a US citizen, has seen men in vehicles watching her home since February. An arrested immigrant recently said ICE agents confirmed her suspicions by telling him her name and address during his arrest.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 7 May 2025

• Immigration

Local immigrant arrested without warrant. His wife doesn’t know where he’s been taken.

For months, federal agents had watched Martin Diaz, who’s lived in Spokane for almost two decades trying to get a green card. They violently dragged him from his backyard, cuffed and arrested him on Tuesday.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 2 May 2025

• Government

‘The City of Spokane Valley is not a sanctuary city.’ City resolution that wishes to help feds is toothless

Since the city can’t legally tell the cops to break state immigration law, they passed a resolution saying they really want to.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 4 Apr 2025

• Immigration

Migrant detained by ICE back with family

RANGE caught up with Bismark Avornu, who’s lived in the Spokane area for 15 years, where he met his wife and is raising two American children, about his 45 days in a Tacoma processing facility.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 21 Mar 2025

• Immigration

An ICE Contractor Is Worth Billions. It’s Still Fighting to Pay Detainees as Little as $1 a Day to Work.

GEO Group, whose stock is valued at $4 billion, says that state minimum wage laws don’t apply to the cleaning services that it’s asked detained migrants to perform at facilities where they’re kept.

By McKenzie Funk

/ 20 Mar 2025

• Immigration

Uncertainty for Spokane’s Haitian migrants — and for employers

After President Donald Trump canceled a program that allows people who fled a country in turmoil to work and live here, a local jobs program is unsure what will happen to them.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 13 Mar 2025

• Immigration

ICE agents with no warrant violently arrest migrants

Federal agents surveilled and detained two men in Spokane Valley, broke into their truck, injured and arrested them as they were going to a court hearing, breaking up a family.

By Aaron Hedge

/ 11 Mar 2025

• Immigration

Refugees in Spokane at risk as World Relief navigates changing U.S. policies

Local affiliates of refugee relief program are laying off employees and feeling uncertain as Trump executive orders and rhetoric roil the US.

By Cassy Benefield

/ 11 Mar 2025

• Immigration

How to find a loved one in ICE custody and how to help them

As the Trump administration continues to arrest thousands of migrants, it’s essential to know how to navigate the system they’re recorded in

By Sandra Rivera

/ 4 Mar 2025

• Immigration

Cómo encontrar a un ser querido bajo custodia de ICE y cómo ayudarlo

A medida que la administración Trump continúa arrestando a miles de migrantes, es esencial saber cómo navegar el sistema en el que están registrados

By Sandra Rivera

/ 4 Mar 2025