Seattle asks Washington State for cash influx for undocumented immigrants—businesses, residents, see no help in sight

On Monday the Seattle City Council, in a non-binding resolution, requested Gov. Jay Inslee and Washington state lawmakers "create a 'Washington Worker Relief Fund' to provide economic assistance to undocumented Washingtonians during the Covid-19 pandemic." The bill calls for an initial allocation of at least $100 million and passed unanimously.

Though the bill is mostly symbolic, the City of Seattle and Washington State have provided no meaningful support to the majority of Washingtonians or businesses struggling to survive during coronavirus shutdowns.

Many Washington residents still have not received unemployment checks from the state due to a massive fraud which stole over one billion dollars from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD), caused by negligence of the Governor and Commissioner of the ESD Suzie LeVine.

In an email to the Seattle Times, spokeswoman for Governor Jay Inslee’s office Tara Lee said the Governor is researching "how the state can best make sure everyone living in Washington has access to needed assistance. The governor and his staff have had meetings with community leaders on this subject, as well as other pressing issues for immigrants."

The resolution was sponsored by Council President M. Lorena González and city council member Teresa Mosqueda and is expected to be signed by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan shortly.