About Us

Here at OneAmerica, we’re committed to the vision of a unified nation with justice for all. Our mission is to advance the fundamental principles of democracy, justice, and human rights at the local, state and national levels. We work with community partners and with partners across the nation to protect and strengthen fundamental American rights for all people—especially immigrants.

Please join us and support our vision of America: a refuge from persecution, the land of opportunity, the lifter of the lamp that lights the way to freedom, liberty and justice for all.

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Our History: Below is an organizational timeline.

2001
September 11: Bombing of the World Trade Centers

• September 16: Hate Free Zone Washington Campaign work begins
• September 18: Press conference declaring Washington State “Hate Free”
• Patriot Act creates new immigration restrictions
• October:  Somali money wiring businesses raided by Federal officials
• November: Seattle City Council condemns post-9/11 backlash
• December: Hate Free Zone office established in South Seattle’s Rainier Avenue; receives first grant; hires first paid staff person

2002

• January: Hate Free Zone organizes Sikhs, Muslims and Arabs to testify for Washington State House Select Committee on Security; Washington Governor and Attorney General drop wiretapping bill and anti-terrorism legislative package
• March: Somali grocery store owners targeted by USDA, community unable to buy groceries; rallies held and Perkins Coie takes on case pro bono
• June: Hate Free Zone briefs Seattle City Council and urges amending existing ordinance to prohibit all City employees from asking about immigration status
• September: Historic Justice for All hearing at Seattle Town Hall; over 1,000 diverse community members attend and over 20 testify before panel of appointed and elected officials
• November: Habeas petitions filed for five Somali men facing deportation—and then a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of what ultimately is 4,000 Somali men
• December: Hate Free Zone’s first year budget is $279,000

2003
Immigration Naturalization Services restructured and called “Department of Homeland Security”

• January: Seattle City Council passes one of the first nationwide ordinances prohibiting all City employees from asking about immigration status; Hate Free Zone holds rally of 300 protesting Special Registration of Arabs, Muslims and South Asians
• February: 50,000 Seattle residents renounce war in Iraq and war against immigrants
• March: Hate Free Zone helps convene participants for meeting of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Attorney & immigrant community members
• June: Senator Ted Kennedy and Hate Free Zone, with partner organizations such as ACLU, hold second JUSTICE FOR ALL hearing in Washington DC bringing participants to testify from across the country
• June: Hate Free Zone holds first ever meeting of immigrant rights groups with Sen. Cantwell and 40 members of the Somali, Arab, Muslim, SA, Cambodian and Latino communities
• September: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds decision staying deportation for over 4,000 Somalis across the country
• September: Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride Kick-off, chaired by Hate Free Zone and the King County Labor Council, takes over 42 immigrants from 24 countries to tell their stories on a ten-day journey across the United States
• December: Hate Free Zone budget grows to $499,000

2004

• April: Seattle City Council passes a resolution opposing Congress’s proposed Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR Act - requiring local police to enforce federal immigration laws)
• May: First Hate Free Zone Annual Dinner held at Café Flora (120 attendees)
• June: Hate Free Zone partners with Council on American-Islamic Relations Seattle Chapter to launch first Muslim Civic Engagement Project
• November:  Over 2,000 Muslim voters registered to vote; approximately 90% turn out to vote on Election Day with over 50 volunteers participate with HFZ in successful voter turnout effort
• December: Second Hate Free Zone meeting with Washington Senator Maria Cantwell; Hate Free Zone’s budget grows to $575,000

2005

• January: Landmark meeting of Hate Free Zone’s Community Leadership Council, first group of leaders from diverse immigrant communities to discuss priorities and coordinate efforts
• May: Community Leadership Council holds first Seattle City Council Brownbag on Immigrants with over 300 community members testifying and leading to the passage of a Council resolution directing the Mayor to address provision of services for growing immigrant population
• June: 800 attend 3rd JUSTICE FOR ALL Hearing with Senator Patty Murray on immigration reform
• September:  Hate Free Zone begins registering new citizens to vote at naturalization ceremonies in unique partnership with the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services

2006

• January:  Hate Free Zone chairs national field campaign, “Liberty and Justice for All” for Rights Working Group, to call for due process rights and civil liberties protections within the immigration system
• January: The “Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act”, known as the “Sensenbrenner Bill”, passes in the House of Representatives.
• February: 100s attend a rally calling for due process for Sheikh Ibrahim, a Somali imam in detention
• April: The Seattle City Council passes a Resolution on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
• May: Nationwide protests, including in Seattle, draw millions to protest the Sensenbrenner Bill
• May: King County passes a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Resolution
• June:  Hate Free Zone becomes part of national Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, representing Washington State in national debate on immigration reform
• December:  Hate Free Zone registers 12,000 new citizens to vote in Washington

2007

• January: Seattle’s Mayor Greg Nickels institutes new policies on interpretation and translation for foreign language in city government
• March: Mayor Nickels establishes a new Immigrant Refugee Action Plan and Advisory Council
• May: The Children’s March draws 300 in Seattle with children marching against immigration raids
• June: The first Immigrant and Refugee Candidates Forum in Seattle for City Council and King County Prosecutor candidates; over 300 immigrants attend an five languages interpreted
• June:  Raids conducted in Portland and detainees sent to Tacoma detention center; Hate Free Zone raids hotline activated with Northwest Federation of Community Organizations and Washington Community Action Network
• December: Hate Free Zone registers 20,000 new citizens to vote in Washington

2008

• February: Governor Chris Gregoire signs the New Americans Executive Order establishing a policy council to study immigration integration in Washington State for two years and provide advice for the governor; the State Legislature allocates significant new funds for immigrant integration
• May: Hate Free Zone has registered over 23,000 new citizens to vote in Washington
• May: Governor Chris Gregoire receives award at Hate Free Zone Annual Dinner; over 700 diverse community members and partners attend, raising $100,000 for immigrant justice work
• June: Hate Free Zone changes its name to OneAmerica, With Justice for All
• July: One America’s budget grows to $1.5 million.