Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

Last week, our Citizenship Program & Policy Specialist Javiera Wood spoke on an immigration policy panel at the UW Evans School of Public Policy! She shared valuable insights on issues facing our immigrant & refugee communities and how local resources impact federal policy.

Are you thinking of naturalizing and becoming a citizen? Curious about the benefits? Scroll through our post to learn about the benefits of U.S. citizenship.
Have a question about citizenship or where to find help near you? Call or email our City of Seattle Attorney Office Hours in any language: (206) 814-4452 / [email protected].

The 한인생활상담소 - Korean Community Service Center - KCSC is now receiving applications for the Victim Compensation Fund to support individuals & families of victims who have experienced race or identity-based harm.

KCSC will review all applications until 12/31/2024 or until the funds are depleted.

Follow the link below to learn more about eligibility requirements and fill out the application:

OIRA Victim Compensation Fund | KCSC The Korean Community Service Center has received funding from the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to support individuals and families of victims who have experienced race or identity-based harm.

This July 4th, we celebrate our nation and New Americans!

Let’s continue to strive for a more inclusive and participatory democracy, where diversity is celebrated, new citizens are welcomed, and every individual’s journey is met with respect, dignity, and a profound sense of belonging. 🎇

Are you looking to naturalize and become a citizen soon? Follow the link below to learn more about upcoming citizenship workshops! They are FREE for all Washington State legal permanent residents (green card holders).

https://www.seattle.gov/iandraffairs/programs-and-services/citizenship

Thrilled to welcome the Polish Delegation from the International Visitor Leadership Program by the US Department of State! We had a great time sharing our work and discussing local policies that support immigrants and refugees.

Sharing a picture highlight from World Refugee Day - Global Village 🎉 We hope you enjoyed the festivities and got to say hi to the wonderful commissioners of the Immigrant and Refugee Commission!

We hope to see you on Saturday (June 22) to celebrate World Refugee Day! Honor the stories and dreams of refugees with cultural booths, kids' activities, live performances, and free food!

Members of the Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission will be participating in the festivities 🎊Come to learn more about the commission and the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs!

To RSVP and learn more, follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-refugee-day-2024-global-village-festival-tickets-820341693087?aff=oddtdtcreator

Today we commemorate World Refugee Day! Did you know that as of 2022, Washington is the 3rd largest refugee-receiving state in the US?

Juneteenth is a time to connect to community and culture - Tech Talk Juneteenth commemorates the day, June 19, 1865, when more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas were finally informed of their freedom and freed by the U.S. Army from Texas slave owners—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.  In 2021, President Joe Biden was the first U.S. pres...

OIRA Director Mohamed presented our office's programs at last week's Seattle City Council Committee Meeting with Jessica Castellanos (Seattle Managing Director at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) ) and Shira Rosen (Co-Executive Director at Literacy Source ).

Link to the presentation recording: https://www.seattlechannel.org/mayor-and-council/city-council/2024-2025-libraries-education-and-neighborhoods-committee

Peggy Liao, our Language Access Program and Policy Specialist, was a featured speaker at the Code for America summit in Oakland, CA! She shared the City of Seattle's journey to enhance language access to critical services with technology.

Way to go, Peggy!

Today, we honor the brave heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. This Memorial Day, let's also recognize the invaluable contributions of military personnel, including immigrants, who have served and continue to serve our country.

During each Washington Legislative Session, our office provides analysis, feedback, & endorsements for various proposed policies that align with the city’s legislative agenda. As a Welcoming City, Seattle prioritizes policies that cultivate a sense of inclusion and ensure immigrants and refugees have access to essential programs and services.

Learn more about the key policies that we monitored this session: https://welcoming.seattle.gov/celebrating-2024-legislative-wins-washington-stands-up-for-immigrants/

We're thrilled to share highlights from our recent participation in Welcoming Interactive , hosted by Welcoming America in Dallas!

Our Language Access Program and Policy Specialist, Peggy Liao, had the honor of leading a thought-provoking workshop alongside esteemed colleagues, Houmma Garba from the City of Austin, and Laura Gonzales, founder of Language Access Florida.
The workshop emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts in ensuring equitable language access for all!

"Plain language is not dumbing down the content. Rather, it is a respectful approach to show that we truly committed to making city government accessible to everyone."

Our team is on a mission to ensure city government is accessible to all! In an interview with Code For America, our Language Access Program & Policy Specialist, Peggy Liao, talks about the importance of using "plain language".

Peggy will be presenting at the later this month, where she will be talking about Seattle's centralized translation system, which makes the City's news and resources more accessible to all.

Government Gains with the City of Seattle — Code for America An interview with Peggy Liao, a Language Access Program and Policy Specialist with the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

The Seattle Public Library will be hosting Citizenship Information Sessions at their Broadview and Northgate branches in June!

Please see flyer below for more details.

Here is a link to additional resources for immigrants and refugees, including upcoming virtual citizenship classes: https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/civics-and-social-services

OIRA Director Hamdi Mohamed was keynote speaker at Literacy Source's Empower Through Literacy Rise & Shine Breakfast this week! As a college student, she volunteer tutored with them. OIRA is grateful to Literacy Source for being one of our essential community partners, having helped design and drive the success of our Ready to Work program.

Through transformative programs like Ready to Work, we are not just teaching English; we are building futures. The hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment of the Literacy Source team has empowered individuals, transformed lives, and contributed to the economic well-being of Seattle’s immigrant and refugee community.

Today, OIRA launches 2 RFPs to help address incidents of violence in our communities. Applications are due May 6, 2024.
• Immigrant Safety and Access Network (ISAN) RFP
• Victim Compensation Fund RFP

OIRA Announces Request for Proposals (RFP) for Victim Compensation Fund - Welcoming Seattle The City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) is releasing 2 RFPs to help address incidents of violence in our communities.

Our partners at are hosting free bilingual (Spanish/English) citizenship classes starting April 3! Citizenship classes will be offered both in-person and online on Zoom.

To enroll in the program, please call 206.764.8047 or see the flyer below for more details.

Join the office of Rep. Adam Smith on March 21 from 1:00pm-2:00pm for a webinar on the Welcome Corps program! Welcome Corps was launched to equip everyday Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

https://zoom.us/j/96827859550?pwd=UG15dXlMSTlHMHo3THlLMTkzZS9TQT09

Learn how work permits empower new arrivals to support themselves & families. Join American Immigration Lawyers Association, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project and Refugees International for a webinar on navigating the work permit process and ways we can advocate to improve the process. An interactive Q&A will be part of the presentation.

Register here:

aila-org.zoom.us

The Seattle Housing Authority opened application for Housing Choice Vouchers (formerly Section 8). The voucher provides rental assistance for people with low incomes to rent from landlords throughout Seattle. Application is FREE and you can apply to the list at any time.

Access translated flyers using this link below. Please help by spreading the word to organizations and friends who might be interested.

How to apply for a Housing Choice Voucher - Translations | Seattle Housing Authority English Amharic - አማርኛ Arabic - العربیة Japanese - 日本語 Khmer - ខ្មែរ Simplified Chinese - 简体中文 Korean - 한국어 Laotian - ພາສາລາວ Oromo - Oromiffa Russian - Русский Somali - Soomaali Spanish - Español Tagalog Thai - ภาษาไทย...

Everyone in our community deserves access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay or citizenship status. OIRA is honored to identify and work with local organizations who are well suited to provide legal representation and other removal defense legal services in immigration matters to help advance access to justice.

Based on the recommendations of a review panel that included members from the immigrant legal defense community and City of Seattle staff, OIRA is pleased to award a total of $1,250,000 to and who will offer legal representation to indigent immigrants who live, work, or go to school in Seattle and who are in detention, facing removal, or in danger of loss because of their immigration status. This funding reflects our city's commitment to protecting the rights of immigrants and refugees, who are an integral part of our families and communities.

OIRA Announces the Seattle Immigrant Legal Defense Network Awardees - Welcoming Seattle Seattle is committed to protecting the rights of immigrants and refugees, who are an integral part of our families and communities. As a part of a proud welcoming city, earlier this summer, the City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) released a request for proposals (RFP) to h...

Severe winter weather is affecting the area. Take action to stay safe and protect your home.

For important information, click the link below:

Get ready for winter weather, including power outages and road closures – PUBLIC HEALTH INSIDER We’re expecting high winds and gusts starting in the early morning on January 9 and continuing through the day, which could take down power lines and cause outages. From January 12-14, light snow might cover roads and disrupt travel. Take steps now to stay safe as the weather turns.

Around 400 asylum seekers from West Africa, Venezuela, and elsewhere have fled violence, political turmoil, and poverty looking for safety for themselves and their families and have ended up at a modest church in Tukwila. Our office has been facilitating discussions with King County, the state, and non-profit service agencies to work together toward solutions to provide assistance that protects them and our community at large.

OIRA Director Hamdi Mohamed recently joined a conversation on Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out with Riverton Park United Methodist Church Pastor Jan Bolerjack and advocate Palmira Figueroa to highlight the challenges and opportunities involved.

City Inside/Out: Asylum Seekers | seattlechannel.org Scores of asylum seekers are arriving daily in the United States. In Washington, the epicenter of the crisis is a modest Tukwila church with 400 people encamped in its parking lot.

On December 4-5, Oksana Bilobran, Legal Programs Manager and Policy Advisor, joined other experts from 24 cities in 13 states at Cities For Action 8th Annual National Convening in NYC to share best practices for pro-immigrant policies and programs at the local, state, and federal level.

Oksana presented at two panels: "Local Governments and Immigration Legal Needs at a Crossroads" and "City Response to Racial Inequities in Immigration Enforcement," highlighting the investments and unique efforts we're taking to address the legal needs for immigrants in Seattle.