Official statements from the Mayor's office or City Council

Over 300 Asylum-Seeking Migrants Establish Second Unauthorized Encampment in Seattle

May 1, 2024, 02:56 PM

In Seattle's Central District, over 300 asylum-seeking migrants, including families with children, have established an encampment at Powell Barnett Park after being displaced from their temporary accommodations in a Kent motel due to lack of funds. The migrants, originally from South America and Africa, have been shuffled around the county for the past year. They have now set up more than 30 tents in the park, a popular area for children and pets, and have scattered wooden pallets around the site. The group is demanding increased financial support and resources, and plans to protest at Seattle City Hall to press their demands, where previously six activists were arrested. This marks the second time in less than a month that refugees have set up an unauthorized encampment in the city. Local authorities and community members are closely monitoring the situation, which has escalated tensions in the neighborhood, and have stated that no other funding exists to support this group.