Overview
Washington is heading into a new biennium for 2025-26, and also experiencing notable changes in leadership positions, including a new gubernatorial administration with incoming Governor Ferguson. The state’s economic and revenue forecast projects a $10-12B deficit, and many programs are at risk of cuts, especially if they are only a line item in the budget bill rather than being in statute.
Despite the challenges ahead, APIC believes that the following policy priorities will be integral to improving the lives of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in Washington State:
Legislative and Budget Priorities:
Health Equity for Immigrants
The Health Equity for Immigrants Campaign is calling on the Washington State Legislature to codify the Apple Health Expansion in statute through legislation. This will ensure that the roughly 12,000 people who are now accessing health insurance through the expansion will not lose access, and will allocate sufficient funds to allow 35,000 low-income undocumented Washingtonians to use the Medicaid-like program.
Unemployment Insurance for Undocumented Workers
Advocates are calling on the Washington State Legislature to address the exclusion of undocumented workers from unemployment benefits by creating a separate, equivalent system to provide benefits to nearly 150,000 Washington residents and their families. The coalition is recommending that the state contract a trusted third party to administer the program and fund it with a diversion mechanism, ensuring that workers can access funds which employers are already paying into as part of a vital social safety net system.
Naturalization Services and LEP Pathways Funding
Naturalization services help refugees and immigrants, predominantly those who are disabled and elderly, attain citizenship through assistance in completing the USCIS N-400 naturalization application and fee waiver requests, classes in American history and civics, and interview preparation. By maintaining funding for Naturalization services at $3,545,000 in fiscal year 2025 and 2026, we can continue to serve immigrants and refugees in our state.
The Limited English Proficient (LEP) Pathways’ primary goal is to promote economic self-sufficiency for refugees and immigrants through job training, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, work support, and social services. By maintaining funding for the LEP Pathways program at $1,774,000, we can better support low-income and limited English speaking immigrants.
These program funding sources were cut during the 2008 financial crisis, causing immigrant communities to suffer disproportionately during that time of economic downturn. It is critical that we not repeat this mistake, especially during times of deep anxiety and uncertainty for immigrant communities.
Legal Defense Funding
Increase funding for Legal Defense Fund to $10 million per fiscal year to help ensure immigrants have access to an attorney regardless of immigration status or income level. This funding is of paramount importance during a time that we may see increased attempts at using federal immigration agencies to deport residents and split up families, even in Washington state.
Solidarity Agenda: Additional Policies We Support
International Family Justice Coalition (IFJC) funding
Increasing funding for IFJC from $150k/year to $200k/year to support staffing and operations.
Expanding the Working Families Tax Credit
Washington State continues to have one of the most regressive tax systems in the entire United States. The Working Families Tax Credit helps to address this by providing up to $1200 to low income households. The credit is currently limited to people between the ages of 25 and 65, which is because of it being based on the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. This credit should be expanded to include anyone 18 and older. The proposed legislation will expand the credit to low income youth 18 to 24 and is a step in the right direction.
Jail Voting
This request comes from the Free the Vote Coalition, and is also a top priority for the Washington Voting Justice Coalition, of which APIC is a member. This will require that jails maintain voting plans meeting standards for providing information, access to the ballot, and reporting among other things.
Progressive Revenue – Wealth Tax
The Washington Legislature should enact a 1% tax on excessive wealth above $250 million as a step to address our state’s highly regressive tax code and ensure that our state can maintain and expand programs critical to the well-being of our communities. This is vital in a year when our state’s economic and revenue forecast predicts a $10-12 billion shortfall, threatening the funding of many important programs.