Seattle wants $100 million from the state to fund cash assistance to illegal immigrants

The Seattle City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution requesting emergency economic assistance from the state of Washington for illegal immigrants, according to the Seattle Times.

The city council voted 9-0 on the resolution, which will be signed by Mayor Jenny Durkan. The resolution calls for the state to create a fund called the "Washington Worker Relief Fund" that would allocate at least $100 million to assist illegal immigrants who have lost their jobs or been harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Looking out for the most vulnerable in our community is even more critical in times of crisis," Durkan said in a statement. "It is all the more important to ensure we are not pushing people further into the shadows."

Seattle expects to have a $210 million to $300 million budget shortfall this year due to a loss in tax revenue caused by the pandemic.

-READ MORE