Blog
Discover more about our recent advocacy and the communities we fight for through our latest blog posts and media releases.
THE LATEST
September CLS Newsletter: Advocacy, Organizing, and Community Action
Thoughts on the Close of the 2025-26 US Supreme Court Term By Denise Diskin, Litigation Director We at CLS, and many of you, waited months for the outcome of Trump v. Barbara, the case challenging President Trump’s Executive Order 14160 limiting birthright...
Current & Recent Litigation
Columbia Legal Services (CLS) is engaged in multiple cases, at various stages of litigation, at all times. Our advocacy teams consist of lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, and community engagement specialists working alongside communities impacted by the unjust...
Community Organizers Leading the Fight for Immigrant Rights
On September 8, community organizers and CLS staff joined together to share our knowledge and experiences with documenting violations of the Keep Washington Working Act – which prevents local and state governmental agencies, including law enforcement, from...
Supporting Communities Through Legal Education
Across Washington State, community organizations play a vital role in supporting immigrant families, advocating for justice, and building networks of care. As legal and policy landscapes continue to evolve, community groups face important questions about how to carry...
2026 Imagine Justice Event Registration
Join us for our Imagine Justice celebration honoring 30 years of Columbia Legal Services. Connect with advocates, supporters, and community partners as we celebrate the impact we’ve made together and look ahead to a future where everyone in Washington has access to...
Case Update: Appeals Court Affirms Significance of Farmworker Wage Victory
Over the course of four years of litigation, farmworker labor union Familias Unidas por la Justicia, AFL-CIO, and union member Ramon Torres Hernandez, won important victories to protect the wages that they earn harvesting crops. The farmworkers successfully challenged...
Misinterpreted x-rays lead to cruel and inhumane treatment at the Washington Corrections Center for Women
Lawsuit filed after DOC leadership refused to negotiate changes to their practices
Doe v. WA State Department of Corrections
Class action lawsuit seeks to end the harmful use of dry celling at WCCW, where individuals can be subjected to days or weeks of isolation, restraints, and degrading conditions based on suspected contraband that may not exist.
Growing Justice Together: July Updates from CLS
Today’s Washington Supreme Court ruling in Bolina v. AssureCare Adult Home, brought by Fair Work Center on behalf of live-in caregivers, is a reminder of how systemic advocacy shapes the law over time. The decision extends basic wage and hour protections to workers...
Building Power Through Partnership at Constellations
In May, Community Engagement Specialist Noemi Sanchez and Litigation Director Denise Diskin attended Inatai’s Constellations Conference in Spokane. The gathering brought together more than 700 participants from over 300 organizations representing nearly every county...
Ensuring Washington’s Protections Work in Practice
What is the Keep Washington Working Act? Passed in 2019 amid escalating federal immigration enforcement, Keep Washington Working (KWW) is one of Washington’s key protections limiting state and local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. CLS...
Save the Date: Imagine Justice Week 2026
Mark your calendar. Something powerful is on the horizon. We are excited to invite you to Imagine Justice Week, our annual fundraiser, happening September 21 - 25, 2026. This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate 30 years of CLS and the impact we have built...