Seattle briefing: Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs outlines federal immigration actions, local responses and service impacts

Hamdi Mohammed, director of the City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), told the Library's Education and Neighborhoods Committee on March 27, 2025, that recent federal executive orders and policy changes are creating confusion and a chilling effect in immigrant communities and that Seattle is coordinating outreach, legal support and communication to respond.

The update matters because the actions described — including orders on expedited removal, expanded information-sharing and restrictions on public services — affect access to city and federal benefits and the legal representation available to migrants, including unaccompanied children. Mohammed told the committee those federal actions are being challenged in court and that Washington state laws and city policies limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement remain in place.

Mohammed summarized federal actions and said many are already facing legal challenges. She described a timeline for the federal…