Issues and Policies

Get the Facts about "Public Charge"

New Americans watching a video about U.S. citizenship in a Seattle City Hall room right before they pledge the Oath of Allegiance. The video features someone waving an American flag.

The Trump-era "public charge" rule is no longer in effect. Learn more about the current fairer public charge rule.

How Seattle is a Welcoming City

A multiracial group of smiling staff and volunteers most of whom are wearing blue shirts, posing as a group inside the dimly lit McCaw Hall with someone in the center of the group holding a sign that reads: SEATTLE UNITED FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE FAMILIES | SEATTLE UNIDA POR LAS FAMILIAS DE LOS INMIGRANTES Y REFUGIADOS.

Find out how Seattle's values of equity and inclusion drive the City's actions in welcoming immigrants and refugees to our community.

FAQ about Local City-level Immigration Policies

A multi-racial group of people holding signs supporting U.S. citizenship lined up in a row behind a podium.

Find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about immigrants and refugees, including the City's relationship to the federal government regarding these issues.

Workforce Development Report

Woman wearing lab coat and working in a lab.

OIRA's Regional Partnerships for Immigrant Integration and Workforce Development in the City of Seattle and King County report, researched and written by Glenn Scott Davis, aims to help address current challenges and craft tailored strategies to enhance our support programs, policies, and engagement efforts specifically for immigrants, refugees, and migrants. 

Get the Latest DACA Updates

Immigrant attendees at a community event learning about changes to the DACA program from an advocate speaking in front of a slideshow. The slide on the screen features the title: 'Organizando su Archivo.'

Updates regarding the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and local resources to support DACA-eligible immigrants.

Immigrant Civic Engagement Research

In a brightly lit indoor event, a young short-haired Asian individual wearing glasses and a lanyard assists two East African older men wearing suits with unseen documents atop an unseen table outside the frame of the image.

Check out one of the largest civic engagement data sets in the country focused on immigrant and refugee communities.

Learn More about Immigrant Integration

A group of five Immigrant and Refugee Commission members testifying to City Council in Council chambers in support of the City’s proposed 2017 Welcoming Resolution.

Immigrant integration is one of the guiding principles of the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Learn about how our programs help people become New Americans.

Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

Hamdi Mohamed, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 1616, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94573, Seattle, WA, 98124
Phone: (206) 727-8515
oira@seattle.gov

Newsletter Updates

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The mission of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is to improve the lives of Seattle’s immigrant and refugee communities by engaging them in decisions about the City of Seattle’s future and improving the City’s programs and services to meet the needs of all constituents.