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It seems like every day we wake up to new cruel and hateful policies from this president.
This week, the president announced his intent to take a step back in our country’s work to protect immigrant children.
And earlier this month, the Trump administration announced a “public charge” rule, which effectively imposes an income test on immigrants and their families applying for green cards. That contradicts the fundamental values on which the promise of America is built.
In defending this unjust step, Ken Cuccinelli, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, even tried to rewrite the iconic poem that graces the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. But I'll remind Mr. Cuccinelli that it proclaims: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’
As the president works to dismantle longstanding protections for our immigrant and refugee families, he has also ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that distract and drain resources from real public safety threats and to purposely cause widespread fear and uncertainty for all immigrants in their daily lives.
On top of all of this, we know that the Trump administration defied the Court’s order and continues to separate families at the border and put children in inhumane and dangerous environments.
In the face of this escalating levels of hate and violence at the federal level, we need to be loud and clear:
Immigrants and refugees are woven into the fabric of our history, and they will continue to help make Seattle – and our country – great. In Seattle, we know that our immigrant and refugee communities make our City a stronger, more vibrant place. They create businesses and jobs. They create art and culture. They help teach our kids, serve in law enforcement and the military, and lead our places of faith.
Our immigrant and refugee neighbors have helped Seattle become the fastest-growing big city in the country and become home to some of the world’s most iconic companies. And we know that today’s immigrants are tomorrow’s United States citizens who should have the chance to contribute to the economic, cultural and civic life of Seattle — and our nation.
That’s why Seattle is a Welcoming City, and why we support our immigrant and refugee communities to grow and thrive in many different ways. For more information on our Welcoming City policies, please visit our Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs’ website.
If you are interested in volunteering your time for immigration organizations, you can help out at City of Seattle citizenship clinics. The first step in that process is to register here. Or, you can volunteer for any local community-based organization listed at www.seattle.gov/NCC.
As always, please continue to write me at [email protected], reach out via Twitter and Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we’re doing for the people of Seattle on my blog.
Sincerely,
 
This week, Mayor Durkan transmitted legislation to the City Council to build 91 new affordable rental homes in the Uptown neighborhood.
“We need more affordable housing in every part of Seattle, and we need it as quickly as we can get it,” said Mayor Durkan. “We need more investments like this one, because we know that it’s not enough to just build affordable housing – we have to create community and ensure residents have access to the amenities they need to really thrive.”
Most of the apartments in the building will serve residents who have stabilized after residing in permanent supportive housing and accessing needed services for a time in one of Plymouth’s other buildings. The remaining 19 apartments will be for people who have recently experienced long-term homelessness, many of whom will be coming directly from living outside.
Visit this website for more information on Mayor Durkan’s “Housing Seattle Now” plan to invest in housing for low- and middle-income Seattle families.
Mayor Durkan signed a new Executive Order to help protect residents and City employees from toxic chemicals. The Executive Order restricts the use of pesticides containing glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, by City departments.
“As a City, we are committed to developing better approaches to maintaining our public land without the use of dangerous pesticides. We will continue to lead the nation in reducing the use of toxic chemicals,” said Mayor Durkan. “The health and safety our neighbors and the City’s public servants comes first. We are immediately moving forward with a severely restricting the use of glyphosate to ensure that our public spaces are safe both for the community and for the public servants who maintain them.”
Glyphosate is considered a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization. This ban on glyphosate builds on the City of Seattle's work to significantly reduce its use of pesticides since the 1970s, including adopting a ban 10 years ago on the use of pesticides at over 250 playfields, picnic areas, community gardens, and play areas. In addition, Seattle currently has 22 pesticide-free parks.
Click here to learn more.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced Wednesday what’s next for the City’s Scooter Share Pilot Program. Going forward, SDOT will conduct a robust community engagement process to shape the goals, scope, and scale of scooter share in Seattle. Learn more about this program here.
Earlier this year, Mayor Durkan directed SDOT to develop a pilot program for scooters in Seattle that was community-driven, promotes safety and accessibility, requires fairness for riders and indemnification for the City, focuses on equity, and builds on the best of our bike share program.
Thurs – Sun, August 22 – 25, Matinee and Evening Performances: Teen Summer Musical
Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Teen Summer Musical is in its 18th year of teaching young people self-discipline, teamwork, self-motivation, and collaboration through theater. This year’s production, Uncle Willy’s Chocolate Factory, is sure to be an incredible show!
 Saturday, August 24, Start Time 8:30 a.m.: Seattle Marathon Summer 5K
The Seattle Marathon Association is hosting an incredible summer 5K in Seward Park. Kids of all ages can participate in the Kids Fun Run as well.
Sat – Sun, August 24 – 25, 10 a.m. – 7p.m.: Seattle Design Festival Block Party
The Seattle Design Festival Block Party is a two-day street fair on Lake Union that celebrates the ways in which design impacts our everyday lives. This year’s Block Party will feature large-scale installations and performances that reflect this year’s theme: Balance.
Sunday, August 25, 7 p.m.: The Head and the Heart Free Concert
Hometown band The Head and the Heart will perform a free concert on top of the Pike Place Market this weekend. The concert will be streamed on the band’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for those who aren’t able to attend in person.
 In this week’s edition of the Weekend Read, we encourage you to explore GeekWire’s reporting on the City of Seattle’s scooter share pilot program:
Seattle’s scooter plans are moving forward.
The city launched a six-month due diligence process Tuesday to prepare for a scooter-share pilot that will begin next spring, officials confirmed with GeekWire.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will start with community outreach and then begin crafting a pilot permit that will finally allow mobility companies to launch free-floating electric scooter-share services in the city.
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