Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez
Reporter
About
Gustavo covers race, identity, and immigration in the Pacific Northwest. His reporting is focused on tribal sovereignty, how a diversity of communities leverage their power to effect change in and beyond their neighborhoods, and the impacts of immigration policy at the state level.
He arrived to KUOW in 2023, and previously wrote about northern Nevada's tribal efforts during mid-term elections, addressing the legacy of state-funded boarding schools and the impacts of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples' epidemic. He's also written about healthcare access for undocumented Idaho farmworkers during the pandemic and Juneteenth celebrations in Idaho.
Gustavo was born and raised in the sagebrush of Boise, Idaho. He spent many years trying to get into a career in journalism, juggling work, school, and community radio before settling into the restaurant industry for eight years. He was able to work in award-winning kitchens before the pandemic threw him back into journalism. In his off time he takes documentary photography, participates in the Purépecha community, and dreams of pit barbecuing and carnitas.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, Spanish
Pronouns: he/him
Professional Affiliations: Founding Board Member, Voces
Stories
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WA AG sues Adams County for cooperating with immigration enforcement beyond what state laws allow
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown sued Adams County and the Adams County Sheriff's Office on Monday, accusing them of violating a state law that limits local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
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Government
Washington family torn apart after father arrested outside of church and deported
As immigration enforcement ramps up, families like these — built over decades — are being confronted with hard choices after federal law enforcement takes members of their family away.
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Race & Identity
Video appears to show ICE agents targeting Latinos in Washington state, but are mass deportations coming?
Rumors had been rampant on social media about increased immigration action and arrests in Washington state. Much of those fears have been stoked by the Trump administration.
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29-year-old dad believed to be among immigrants sent to Guantanamo Bay
A Venezuelan family in Washington state is speaking out after learning a family member has likely been sent to an immigration detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.
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Business
Seattle businesses join nationwide 'day without immigrants' strike
Up and down the business district of Seattle’s North Beacon Hill, several restaurants shut their doors on Monday. It was part of a nationwide strike aimed at showing how integral immigrants are to their local communities.
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Familias de inmigrantes en Seattle se preparan ante la amenazadora llegada de ICE
Desde que Trump asumió el cargo el 20 de enero, la aplicación de la ley se ha intensificado en todo el país. Si bien el estado de Washington sigue siendo un santuario para muchos, algunos inmigrantes están replanteando de cómo vivir su cotidianidad.
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Immigrant families in Seattle seek sanctuary and safety as ICE threat looms
Since Trump took office Jan. 20, immigration enforcement has ramped up across the country. While the state of Washington is still a sanctuary for many, some immigrants are reconsidering how they navigate their daily lives.
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Law & Courts
Washington farmworkers call for better work conditions amid Trump deportation threats
More than 100 farmworkers and their supporters traveled to Olympia from the state’s rural counties Tuesday to lobby lawmakers for more protections against unfair labor practices.
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Law & Courts
As some Washington law enforcement leaders vow to help with mass deportations, immigration advocates prepare to resist
A Washington law that’s designed to protect immigrant rights could see new challenges as President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The state’s sanctuary law restricts how local law enforcement can aid federal immigration officials, but some Washington state counties appear eager to help Trump fulfill his promise of mass deportations.
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Law & Courts
Tacoma ICE center ordered to pay detainee workers Washington’s minimum wage, $23 million in arrears
A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that people held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center must be paid the state’s minimum wage for doing any work around the facility.
