Council adds $250,000 for legal assistance for immigrant and refugee communities

June 26, 2017

Summary

Additional appropriation brings King County investment to $1 million supporting the resilience of county’s immigrant and refugee communities

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today approved additional, critical funding for legal assistance available to support immigrant and refugees in King County.

Today’s appropriation of $250,000 is added to the $300,000 passed by the Council on April 17, 2017, bringing the County’s total investment in legal assistance for immigrants and refugees in 2017 to $550,000. This funding has been made available, in partnership and coordination with the City of Seattle, to non-profit organizations that provide legal representation services and community navigation services for legal representation to King County residents who are in detention, facing deportation or in danger of losing their immigration status.

“Our work to support these communities, integral to the economic, social and cultural fabric of our region, will never be finished,” said Council Chair Joe McDermott. “This additional investment by the county to support legal services for immigrants and refugees is incredibly important in the face of increased divisive rhetoric and actions by the current Presidential Administration. Everyone who lives in King County should feel safe and welcome, and this investment will help those who are most vulnerable.”

The total investment to support immigrants and refugees by King County in 2017 now totals $1,000,000 which includes the Resilience Fund developed in partnership with the Seattle Foundation and additional funding for community organizations to develop culturally appropriate educational and informational materials for the diverse immigrant and refugee communities in King County.

A comprehensive overview of these funds, and opportunities to organizations to apply for support, is available at the website of the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice - www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice/Immigrant-and-Refugee/Tools-and-Resources.

A chart summary of the County Council’s investments to support immigrants and refugees in our region is below.

Investment	Date Passed	Amount
Resilience Fund in partnership with the Seattle Foundation	4/17/2017	$350,000
Legal Assistance	4/17/2017	$300,000
Education and Information funding	4/17/2017	$100,000
Additional Legal Assistance	6/26/17	$250,000
	Total Investment	$1,000,000