July 02, 2026
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5 min
SW Washington LULAC: Strengthening the Foundation of Liberty and Justice
The first alert arrived at 7:45 a.m. on June 9, 2025. “Our team responded and confirmed that ICE was present near 46th Street and NW Franklin around 7:45 a.m. this morning. Please move with caution and remember: #WeHaveRights”
This dire warning launched the Rapid Response and CARES Teams — two programs created by SW Washington LULAC Council #47013 to help local immigrants and refugees who are experiencing inhumane Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics. While the warning came too late for a father of four detained by ICE agents that morning, the programs have since grown into a lifeline for families living in fear of being abducted from the community they call home.
In doing so, the teams have helped uphold a fundamental promise of our democracy: that every person deserves dignity, protection and due process under the law.
A community that CARES how neighbors are treated
Eduardo Torres serves as Vice President for this local chapter of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). He said these programs demonstrate the power of one person, because it began with one phone call from a family in crisis. From there, SW Washington LULAC called on others.
A community showed up. Rapid Response Team members set up a hotline to manage community tips, started reporting ICE activity in real time and connected families to legal services. The CARES Team formed next, which stands for coordination, advocacy, resources, education, and support. These volunteers build critical systems and partnerships that deliver wraparound supports like housing and food assistance.
Because of these complementary efforts, local families now have a trusted partner that can help them navigate the fear, uncertainty and pain. And while this effort started for Latinos, SW Washington LULAC responds to everyone who calls.
“We’ve had folks from the Ukraine and Russian community. From the Asian community,” Torres said. “For us, it's important that we don't only show up for our Latino community, but we show up for our neighbors.”
The community has continued to rally around this effort, logging thousands of volunteer hours and making hundreds of donations to its fundraising campaign.
Uniting for justice across cultures and generations
SW Washington LULAC is building solidarity. You can see this through its collaborative partnerships and increasingly diverse membership. Eduardo described this movement as he accepted the 2026 Community Champion Award in June. He said the council draws strength from a Mayan concept — In Lak’ech Ala K’in — that emphasizes unity, respect and mutual care.
Andy Lara, Board President, also credits the council’s success to its members, both past and present. This includes local Youth and Collegiate Councils, which have been active at Fort Vancouver High School, Union High School, Clark College and WSU Vancouver over the years.
“Our goal is to have the next generation take our spots, and we’ve built the pathways,” Lara said. “We provide them with the knowledge of what's happening in the world around them and give them the choice to act on it immediately.”
Much of this student leadership is done in collaboration with LNESC Vancouver, the formal educational arm of LULAC. Through these avenues, youth can access college-readiness programming, professional skills development and civic engagement opportunities.
Creating a durable shield for our community
As SW Washington LULAC encourages youth to co-create the community they want for themselves, it’s also building a solid foundation for its future. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington helped reinforce its efforts last year with a $25,000 general operating grant from the Social Justice and Resiliency Fund, which gave them the flexibility to direct funds toward the greatest need.
Andy emphasized the importance of both. Developing future leaders and financial support are both important for the organization’s sustainability, but they are also symbolic.
LULAC is the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, and its emblem is a shield. For Andy, this represents its durability and the mission of protecting and serving the Latino community.
“We want our community to know that we'll always be here. That our shield will be here to protect them,” Lara said. “I think that's our goal — to be here, to be known and to be that place where people feel safe and feel like family.”
Andy and Eduardo know this shield has been forged over time, and the work must continue. Because while no one can predict when the next threat will arise, history tells us that one certainly will. To protect the promise of liberty and justice, communities must invest in organizations like SW Washington LULAC that unite us and bring our greatest ideals to life.