Washington announces new investments to help asylum-seekers
SEATTLE — King County and the city of Tukwila announced two new separate investments Tuesday to assist asylum-seekers living in the region in need of shelter and support.
King County announced a one-time $1 million grant to South King County nonprofits that provide temporary housing, food, support, and legal services to families and individuals. Tukwila will pay for and stand up a large, heated tent on the Riverton Park United Methodist Church property that will be able to hold up to 100 people to provide better shelter to asylum-seekers who are currently living outside there.
The Tukwila church has found itself in the center of this crisis after immigrants first started showing up to its doors back in December 2022. Since that time, the church has sheltered more than 800 people, according to church leader Pastor Jan Bolerjack, with people sleeping in almost every corner of the church as well as camping in tents outside.
“While this additional $1 million in funding will help in the near term, the full-scale response and infrastructure needed for this ongoing situation requires additional federal leadership and partnership with the state,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
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