How We Can Fight Back and Fix the Washington REAL ID Problem for COFA Citizens

Standing Together: A Message to Our Friends, Supporters, and Lovers

This fight isn’t just for the Micronesian diaspora to carry alone. This is a call to action for our friends, our loyal supporters, and everyone who loves and stands with our community here in the Pacific Northwest.

Whether you are a neighbor, a coworker, a church member, or a local business owner, your voice carries massive weight. In the islands, we survive and thrive by looking out for one another as one big extended family. By bringing that same spirit of unity to Washington State, we can make a real difference. When state lawmakers see a united coalition of COFA citizens and the people who love and support them all demanding fairness, they will have no choice but to listen.

1. The Goal: Demand a “Standard REAL ID” Option

First, we need to know exactly what we are asking for. Washington State does not need to rewrite federal border-crossing laws. They simply need to do what almost every other U.S. state has already done: create a standard, star-marked REAL ID option that is separate from the citizenship-based Enhanced ID.

Oregon, California, and Hawaii all manage to verify lawful COFA presence and issue a standard REAL ID without requiring U.S. citizenship. Washington can—and should—do the same. It is a matter of state policy, and policies can be changed.

2. Empowering Our Grassroots Organizations

We are blessed to have incredible groups like the Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington (PICA-WA) and Oceania Northwest doing heavy lifting on the ground. Right now, they are spending their valuable time, energy, and funding just helping our people pay for passport renewals.

• The Next Step: We need to back these organizations as they pivot toward policy advocacy. Our community leaders need a seat at the table with the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) and state lawmakers to explain the real-world financial and logistical burden this loophole places on thousands of families in King and Pierce counties.

3. Activating Our Allies and Local Leaders

We cannot do this alone, and we don’t have to. We live in diverse, thriving cities like Federal Way, Tukwila, and Seattle.

• For Our Neighbors and Supporters: If you are a non-COFA resident, a business owner who employs Oceanian workers, or a church leader, your voice matters. When state representatives hear from a broad coalition of voters demanding fairness for their neighbors, they listen.

• Engaging Local City Councils: Cities like Federal Way have a massive Pasifika population. We can attend local city council meetings and ask our local council members to pass resolutions urging the state legislature to fix the licensing gap. Change often starts locally before it moves to the state capital.

4. What You Can Do Today (The Power of Your Story)

The most powerful tool we have is our data and our personal experiences. Lawmakers in Olympia operate on numbers and testimonies.

• Document the Friction: The next time you or an elder are turned away at a DOL office, or face major delays because a clerk doesn’t understand COFA verification, write down the date, time, and location.

• Share Your Voice: We need to collect these stories so our advocacy groups can present them directly to state representatives as proof that the current system is failing.

We have proven that our community can build generational wealth, secure land, and support one another through thick and thin. Now, let’s use that same collective strength to ensure our basic rights and identity are respected by the state we call home.

Are you ready to see Washington State fix this loophole? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, share your experiences with the DOL, and pass this article along to local leaders who can help us make some noise in Olympia.