Become a Sustaining Donor of WMASN

About Us

The Western Mass Asylum Support Network (WMASN) is a grassroots, volunteer-run, mutual aid initiative that provides asylum seekers in Western Massachusetts with the resources, information, community, and support they need to transition to and thrive in this country. Since our founding in 2019, we have supported over 160 asylum seekers, with 85 currently active in our network. We have directly supported 30 people in gaining freedom from ICE detention. During their time with WMASN, 13 of our members have successfully won their asylum claims. 

Our members range in age from 3 to 75, speak over 15 languages, and come from over 20 countries on 5 continents. Through direct financial aid, political and cultural education, and individual and institutional advocacy, WMASN ensures that our new neighbors can navigate their asylum processes from a place of increased safety and well-being. Our “Pro Se Project” also supports members in moving forward with their own immigration processes when they cannot afford or find an attorney.

How much should I give?

You can donate whatever feels sustainable for you! Your contributions can effect immediate and long-lasting changes, and every donation makes a difference. Even a gift of $8.33 / month (or $100 / year) could make the difference between a pending asylum application remaining in good standing or being dismissed. 

Asylum applications, which have historically been free, now cost $100, and there’s a new $100 annual fee while an application is pending — meanwhile, some asylum seekers have been waiting a decade to hear a case decision. Initial work permits used to be free but now require a $550 fee, and work permit renewal fees have increased from $520 to $1070 (for paper applications). Immigration court appeals now cost $900, and many of these fees can no longer be waived.

Recurring donations are particularly helpful because they give us a level of financial predictability from month to month that allows us to assure our members that we will be able to meet their needs. Effective allyship requires some discomfort, so if you have inherited wealth, or can easily afford everything you need, can you challenge yourself to consider giving more?

Donations are tax-deductible and will be processed by our fiscal sponsor, Peace Development Fund.

Why support the Western Mass Asylum Support Network?

Immigrants often have no social or financial safety nets when they arrive in the U.S. Many are multiply-marginalized, experiencing various forms of systemic oppression while also navigating cultural and language barriers. Asylum seekers are usually ineligible for work permits for months, and they are almost always excluded from refugee resettlement and other social security programs. Many of our members are just beginning to heal from trauma in their countries of origin when the US immigration system becomes the most significant source of trauma in their lives. The political and social crises we all face go on to disproportionately affect asylum-seekers and push them further towards unsafe and extractive situations.

Some of you might ask, “What difference is my donation going to make?” We are a volunteer-run, mutual-aid network, and we distribute most of our donations in direct aid to asylum seekers. Just this summer, we had to help our members navigate multiple, overlapping housing crises. As Massachusetts is ending rent subsidy programs and closing shelters, we have had to step up to fill the gaps. This year, we’ve also witnessed a flood of cruel Executive Orders and policies that have been stifling our members’ lives and freedoms. A sustained donor base that we can count on helps us offset some of the fear and helplessness we’ve all been feeling lately–asylum seekers perhaps most of all.