Seattle Mayor Proposes $4 Million Boost to Immigration Office for 2026

First, detected linkable resources in order of appearance (per your list and article):
1. USCIS Forms (uscis_resource) — mentioned in body twice (but link only first mention)
2. Form I-765 (form) — mentioned in body
3. Form N-400 (form) — mentioned in body
4. Form I-589 (form) — mentioned in body

Now I will add up to five .gov links, linking only the first mention of each resource in the article body text and using the exact resource name as it appears.

(SEATTLE) Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has proposed a $4 million budget increase for the city’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA). That would lift the department’s funding by more than 60% in the 2026 fiscal year, marking the largest single‑year expansion in recent memory.

Announced in September 2025 as part of the mayor’s 2026 budget plan, the proposal is positioned as a response to renewed federal actions and threatened social program cuts under President Trump. City leaders say those federal shifts could strain legal supports, employment services, and basic safety‑net programs relied on by immigrant and refugee families. The City Council will review the request this fall, with a final vote expected by late 2025.

Purpose and framing of the proposal

The mayor’s office framed the plan around protecting services at risk from federal shifts, including:

• Legal aid for people facing immigration enforcement or loss of benefits.
• Workforce programs that help newcomers find training, jobs, and stability.
• Basic safety‑net supports such as information, referrals, and integration assistance.

“We’re focused on protecting critical programs that support Seattle’s immigrant and refugee communities impacted by federal policy shifts and programs threatened by federal funding cuts,” Mayor Harrell said when rolling out the proposal alongside Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, OIRA Director Hamdi Mohamed, and partner groups.

If adopted, the funding would allow OIRA to scale key programs and move quickly on expanded services early in 2026.

Three funding priorities

The proposed budget increase centers on three main priorities:

1. Legal supports
   • Expand assistance for residents facing stepped‑up enforcement or uncertainty about rights and options.
   • Help prevent missed deadlines and ensure representation in complex legal processes.
2. Workforce development
   • Connect more immigrants and refugees with training, job pathways, and employer linkages.
   • Address pandemic recovery needs and potential federal reductions in social supports.
3. Essential services and navigation
   • Strengthen information access, referrals, interpretation, and integration support to help people stay housed, informed, and connected to the city’s safety net.

OIRA frames these investments as stabilizing tools to hold communities steady during a potentially disruptive federal period. Department contact information and program details are available at the city’s official site, the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA).

Local rationale and expected benefits

City Hall often moves carefully on new spending, but the administration and council allies argue local action now can reduce the need for emergency fixes later. The stakes are tangible:

• If federal assistance drops or enforcement expands, residents could miss critical deadlines, lose access to services, or be unrepresented in legal proceedings.
• Advocacy groups such as OneAmerica praised the proposal for offering practical relief—legal help, jobs and training, and direct community supports—and for signaling Seattle’s commitment to its residents.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests municipal investments like this can reduce downstream costs (homelessness response, public health) by keeping people connected to stable work and lawful pathways.

Voices at the announcement

Key participants who spoke at the announcement included:

• Mayor Bruce Harrell
• Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck
• OIRA Director Hamdi Mohamed
• Kelly Kinnison, Ph.D., CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority
• Representatives from OneAmerica, including Henry Zhang
• Community members, such as ACRS Ready to Work client Jinyao Ma

They emphasized that immigrant families feel federal changes first and hardest, and that local programs are often the last line of support.

How the funding would work in practice

Practical impacts expected from the funding:

• Shorter wait times for help and more consistent access to interpreters, case managers, and attorneys.
• City‑funded providers would continue to guide residents to reputable legal help for matters like work permits and naturalization (the city itself does not file immigration paperwork).
• Support examples:
  • Assistance preparing for employment authorization (Form I‑765).
  • Guidance through naturalization (Form N‑400).
  • Screening and referrals for asylum (Form I‑589) where appropriate.

Official federal forms and guidance are available at USCIS Forms.

Workforce and economic impacts

The workforce expansion would support:

• Job readiness classes and contextualized English tied to workplace skills.
• Resume and interview coaching, referrals to training, and credential evaluation assistance.
• Expanded cohorts and support services (childcare stipends, transit passes, case management).

Benefits for employers include a stronger pipeline of trained candidates. Even modest income increases can make the difference between stability and crisis in Seattle’s high‑cost environment.

Outreach, translation, and navigation

Another key focus is the “glue” between services:

• Outreach, translation, and navigation help prevent misunderstandings when federal changes occur.
• OIRA’s community liaisons and partners host information sessions, create multilingual materials, and provide safe spaces for questions.
• More funding would deepen outreach into neighborhoods, faith communities, and workplaces.

Interconnected services and ripple effects

Providers stress legal protections and job pathways reinforce each other:

• Timely legal advice can lead to work authorization, which enables job training and improved earnings.
• Stable employment can, in turn, make it easier to pursue naturalization.
• Delays or dropped services can cascade into missed deadlines, lost income, and housing instability.

Advocates argue the OIRA budget increase sustains an interconnected support network and indirectly benefits immigrant‑owned small businesses through a better supported workforce.

Council deliberations and implementation details

Budget negotiations are expected to address:

• Number of new legal aid slots the funding supports.
• Neighborhoods that will gain additional workforce classes.
• Performance metrics OIRA will track (e.g., waitlist reductions, work authorizations, completed citizenship applications, job placements).

The council’s review includes public hearings and written testimony. If approved, OIRA would sign agreements with providers and expand services in early 2026, with allocations beginning January 1, 2026.

OIRA is expected to provide regular updates on timelines and measurable outcomes once funds are implemented.

Surge capacity and timing

Advocates emphasize the need for rapid response if federal policy changes accelerate:

• Legal clinics can offer surge days—focused sessions for renewals, naturalization packet prep, or family‑based screenings.
• Workforce cohorts can align with employer hiring cycles.
• The additional $4 million would give these efforts room to expand without stop‑start funding interruptions.

Community examples

Vignettes that illustrate what’s at stake:

• A parent fleeing conflict needing help to keep working legally while a case is pending.
• An elderly green card holder needing language support, fee waiver screening, and interview prep to apply for citizenship.
• A young adult seeking clarity on relief options and how to maintain status.

Expanded funding would enable more one‑on‑one supports, reduce backlogs, and help people avoid missed windows that affect them for years.

Partnership model

OIRA coordinates with:

• Community‑based organizations
• Legal providers
• Education programs
• County partners (e.g., the King County Regional Homelessness Authority)

This collaboration lets the city shift resources quickly to where needs spike (legal screening vs. job placement) and keeps trusted messengers in communities to replace rumor with facts.

Limits and long‑term considerations

Stakeholders acknowledge local dollars cannot fully offset federal cuts, but they argue targeted local funding can:

• Prevent immediate harm
• Preserve pathways to stability (naturalization, employment authorization)
• Reduce future reliance on expensive emergency services

Sustained investment beyond a single budget year is urged to keep gains from disappearing if federal conditions worsen.

Next steps and public engagement

Procedural timeline and public involvement:

• The proposal is part of the mayor’s formal 2026 budget submission.
• The City Council will refine it via committee hearings, negotiations, written comments, and in‑person testimony—likely with strong turnout from immigrant communities and allied organizations.
• If approved, OIRA allocations begin January 1, 2026, with program rollouts in the first quarter.
• OIRA plans to share impact metrics and progress updates so the public can track changes on the ground.

Residents are urged to follow official channels and contact OIRA directly for help or referrals:

• Phone: 206‑727‑8515
• Email: [email protected]
• Program details and resources: Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA)

For broader budget process information, visit the mayor’s website or City Council pages for meeting schedules and documents. The administration expects deliberations to continue into late 2025 before final adoption.

Practical guidance and legal forms

Legal providers encourage residents to:

• Know their rights and keep paperwork current.
• Seek qualified legal advice, especially during policy changes.

Commonly referenced federal forms include:

• Form I‑765 — Employment Authorization
• Form N‑400 — Naturalization
• Form I‑589 — Application for Asylum (when appropriate)

Official, current instructions and filing details are available from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: USCIS Forms.

“Strong local services create breathing room for families under stress and help prevent more serious crises later,” said Hamdi Mohamed, OIRA Director. Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck added that the city has a duty to protect neighbors who contribute to Seattle’s economy, culture, and neighborhoods.

Conclusion

Seattle’s proposal to add $4 million to OIRA in 2026 reflects a local effort to insulate immigrant and refugee communities from federal shifts by investing in legal supports, workforce programs, and essential navigation services. The plan emphasizes quick, coordinated responses through community partnerships and aims to preserve pathways to stability—one appointment, one workshop, and one case at a time.

The City Council’s decision by late 2025 will determine whether those resources become available to expand services in early 2026.