Seattle leaders called on the Washington state government Monday to establish a coronavirus relief fund that provides millions in cash assistance to illegal aliens.
The Seattle City Council passed a resolution Monday encouraging Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, and state lawmakers to establish a Washington Worker Relief Fund to “provide emergency economic assistance to undocumented Washingtonians,” according to the Seattle Times.
City councilors are calling attention to illegal aliens in the state who do not qualify for federal assistance because of their immigration status, but have been suffering due to the declining economic conditions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The measure suggests the Washington Worker Relief Fund should begin with an initial allocation of $100 million.
“Looking out for the most vulnerable in our community is even more critical in times of crisis,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a Monday statement. “It is all the more important to ensure we are not pushing people further into the shadows.”
The measure sailed through the city council by a vote of 9-0 and enjoys support from the mayor’s office. The non-binding resolution does not actually establish a slush fund for illegal aliens, but simply calls on Washington State to create one.
Seattle’s measure is the latest by liberal lawmakers across the country use taxpayer funds for aid to those living in the United States unlawfully.
California, for example, began accepting applications for a $125 million fund for illegal aliens in the state. An organization involved in the program received so many calls that their phone lines crashed within the first hour. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat, announced in April that his city would provide more than $5 million to low-income residents in the city, including illegal aliens.
Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are currently debating a bill passed by House Democrats that, if signed into law, would provide potentially billions in economic assistance to those living in the United States unlawfully. Republican leaders have said the relief package is a non-starter.
It’s not immediately clear where Inslee, Washington’s governor, stands on Seattle’s resolution.
The governor’s office is researching “how the state can best make sure everyone living in Washington has access to needed assistance,” Inslee spokeswoman Tara Lee said to the Seattle Times. “The governor and his staff have had meetings with community leaders on this subject, as well as other pressing issues for immigrants,” Lee said.
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