Seattle is a city of neighborhoods. Every day, people build community through small, ordinary acts: getting kids to school, opening shops, gathering at places of worship, checking in on neighbors. These day-to-day connections are what make people feel at home.
At the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON), that’s where our work begins. For the past 35 years, we have strengthened neighborhoods by building trust between residents and their local government and by supporting communities as they organize, connect, and care for one another.
Increased federal immigration enforcement activity across the country has disrupted that sense of safety in many neighborhoods. Families are changing daily routines. Workers are staying home. Children are missing school. Community spaces are quieter, not by choice, but out of fear.
Mayor Katie B. Wilson has been clear: Whoever you are, and wherever you come from, if Seattle is your home, then this is your city. That belief matters deeply at the neighborhood level, where trust and safety are essential to everyday life. When neighbors feel unsafe, the fabric of the neighborhood is threatened.
Seattle is a welcoming city. City departments do not ask about immigration status, do not assist with civil immigration enforcement, and the City is taking concrete steps to protect residents, safeguard City property and prepare employees to respond appropriately if enforcement activity occurs. These actions are about protecting trust, so neighbors can continue to show up for one another without fear. To learn more about steps the City is taking to address federal immigration enforcement activities, read Mayor Wilson’s directive here.
For the Department of Neighborhoods, this moment speaks directly to our purpose; community building and empowerment. We work to ensure ALL people can participate in neighborhood life and civic spaces with confidence. Strong neighborhoods depend on people feeling safe in their homes, workplaces, community gardens, shared spaces, and confident that their personal information is handled with care and protected from misuse.
Our message to our immigrant neighbors is simple and steady: You belong here. You are safe here. This is your home, too.
To our partners, staff, and neighbors across Seattle: this is a moment to practice solidarity in tangible ways. That means listening, sharing accurate information, supporting trusted community organizations, and staying connected at the neighborhood level.
Seattle’s neighborhoods have always been shaped by care, resilience, and collective action. In times of uncertainty, we strengthen the virtues that have always held us together.
This is your city. These are your neighborhoods. And at DON, we are committed to keeping them safe and welcoming. Always.
To learn more about the Mayor’s Stand Together initiative, visit: Stand Together: Let’s Make Seattle a Welcoming City – Mayor | seattle.gov
