Solidarity with detained union siblings

Lewelyn Dixon and Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez are both at the Northwest Detention Center, the private prison in Tacoma holding people detained by ICE

UPDATE March 26, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. — The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is mobilizing union members, community, and supporters to the Tacoma NW Detention Center (1623 E J St, Tacoma, WA 98421) to protest the detention of union siblings Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez and Lewelyn Dixon tomorrow, Thursday, March 27. Supporters will gather in front of the detention center at 5:30 p.m.

TACOMA, WA (March 26, 2025) — Lewelyn, a SEIU 925 member at UW, has lived in the U.S. for more than five decades. Lelo, an organizer with Familias Unidas por la Justicia and Community to Community, came to Washington as a young teenager. But both union siblings are now being held in the ICE detention facility in Tacoma, their futures and safety uncertain.

Lewelyn has been at the NW Detention center since early March; Lelo was detained yesterday, and transferred to the Tacoma facility last night. Advocates are concerned that he was targeted for his organizing work, having been in the news as recently as last month for leading a farmworker action at the State Capitol.

Unions, coworkers, and loved ones continue to advocate for Lewelyn and Lelo’s release and are urging all supporters of working people to take action in solidarity with our siblings.

Community members gathered at the Ferndale ICE detention facility on Tuesday calling for Lelo’s release. Photo: Community to Community Development

SEIU 925 is calling on UW to protect immigrant employees, running an email campaign pressuring UW administrators to protect Lewelyn’s job, allow her to use leave while in detention or immigration proceedings, to extend these protections to all immigrant employees, and to run trainings for all employees on immigration officials in the workplace and potential risks.

Send an email to UW administrators today. 

Community 2 Community and the farmworker organizing community in NW Washington are fundraising for Lelo’s legal defense fund. Donations can be made online, or checks can be mailed to: Community to Community Development PO Box 1646 Bellingham, WA 98227.

More actions are forthcoming.