Tag Archives: washington d.c.

Seattle moves to protect gender-affirming and reproductive health care in the city as council committee formed to counter Trump meets for first time

Posted on by
Reply

Demonstrators at the People’s March in January

Seattle’s mayor is proposing new legislation hoped “to strengthen local protections and safeguard access to gender-affirming and reproductive health care services” in the city. The legislative push comes as leaders in the nation’s most progressive cities are sorting out how to best represent their constituencies in the shadow of a second Trump administration’s vindictive threats.

Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office says the proposal “reiterates and affirms the city’s stance as a welcoming and supportive place for LGBTQ+ community members” while extending existing Washington State “Shield Law” into city law, and protecting people “seeking or providing reproductive or gender-affirming care in Seattle from arrest or prosecution.”

The ordinance expressly extends the requirement to protect the provision of protected health care services to City employees and creates a local cause of action enforceable by the city, the mayor’s office says. Continue reading →

‘Save our Science’ rallies — with some of the best protest signs so far — bring fight against Trump cuts to Montlake Blvd E

Posted on by
3

Montlake Blvd E above 520 isn’t where you might typically see a protest in Seattle but a “Save our Science” demonstration there Wednesday morning caught the city’s attention.

Workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are raising alarms over looming job cuts they say threaten critical scientific research, fisheries sustainability, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Speaking anonymously out of fear for their jobs, employees at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Alaska Fisheries Science Center are calling attention to the far-reaching consequences of federal funding and staffing reductions.

“Many of us work at NOAA, right here, and a lot of our co-workers are being threatened with their jobs,” one worker said. These employees emphasize their role as public servants, working not just in Washington, D.C., but in communities across the country.

A stock assessment scientist explained the importance of their work: “We set annual catch limits for fisheries on the West Coast and in Alaska to make sure that we can keep catching fish sustainably.” This focus on sustainability is critical to maintaining healthy fish populations and supporting the commercial fishing industry.

Nick Tolimieri, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 8A, represents workers at NOAA’s Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Centers. He warns that funding and staffing cuts jeopardize their ability to deliver essential research required by laws like the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Endangered Species Act. Continue reading →

Seattle crowds protest Trump’s federal layoffs at the VA, USFS, CDC, FAA, EPA, IRS and more

Posted on by
11

(Image: Alex Garland/CHS)

A crowd two to three thousand strong gathered around Seattle’s Federal Building Monday for a Presidents’ Day demonstration in support of federal workers caught up in the Trump administration’s ruthless attempts to shrink the government.

Some 10,000 federal workers across agencies including the CDC, FAA, EPA, and IRS have already been let go with threats of more to follow. Continue reading →

Amid ICE raids and bluster, ‘routine’ Student and Exchange Visitor Program inspection at Garfield High School raises concerns — UPDATE: Rescheduled

Posted on by
6

If fear and uncertainty are part of the goals around the activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the first weeks of the second Trump administration, mark another success Tuesday at 23rd Ave’s Garfield High School.

“There is a rumor that ICE will be on campus tomorrow, February 11. According to our District Enrollment Office, this is not true.” Principal Tarance Hart said in an email to students Monday. “A Student and Exchange Visitor Program representative will visit for a brief compliance check to confirm that Garfield High School is meeting the requirements for enrolling international students on F-1 visas.”

“This is a routine visit approved by district leadership and is not related to immigration enforcement,” Hart said in the message.

UPDATE 5:45 PM: A district spokesperson tells CHS Garfield’s inspection has been “rescheduled for the fall.” The spokesperson said there are currently no other scheduled campus visits in the district. According to Seattle Public Schools, the SEVP visits occur annually as “SEVP representatives, along with district staff visit up to three comprehensive high schools” in the city. The last time Garfield was included in a SEVP inspection was 2017.

Principal Hart’s email Monday came as word spread to start the week with students and families at the large public high school serving the city’s Central District and Capitol Hill-area neighborhoods sharing concerns about the rumored inspection. Despite the assurances, a Garfield teacher reportedly offered up their classroom as sanctuary to any students in need.

The concern at Garfield comes in the midst of President Donald Trump’s blitz of executive orders including ten related to immigration that have created chaos around the federal government even as the most significant orders remain tied up in court.

Like so many of 2025’s twists and turns, the official message at Garfield is confusing. ICE may not be at the school — but the Student and Exchange Visitor Program is, indeed, an ICE program under the Department of Homeland Security. Continue reading →

30+ Capitol Hill and Central District venues part of this weekend’s Seattle Hospitality Immigration Fundraiser

Posted on by
Reply

More than 150 restaurants, cafes, and bars are taking part in the Seattle Hospitality Immigration Fundraiser this weekend to support the NW Immigrant Rights Project.

Dozens of venues around Capitol Hill and the Central District are taking part. The list is growing.

Venues have pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds during the weekend to NWIRP or other nonprofits supporting immigrant rights. You can check in with your favorite spots for details. Continue reading →

To take on barrage of Trump executive orders, Seattle City Council forming ‘Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes’

Posted on by
17

A sign from the People’s March Seattle demonstration in January

Seattle City Council president Sara Nelson has responded to the call of the council’s junior member for a new committee dedicated to responding to “changes in the federal government which threaten funding to the City of Seattle.”

Council President Sara Nelson announced headed into the weekend she is form a new Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes.

Citywide rep Alexis Mercedes Rinck called for the new committee Friday morning.

“Throughout the past week, we have seen a flurry of executive orders coming from the new presidential administration challenging the rights and livelihoods of many of our residents, and the health of our institutions,” the statement from Rinck’s office read. “Many organizations, programs, and people within Seattle rely on federal funding to carry out their work and live healthy lives. What is clear is that major changes are underway on the federal front, and local leaders must be tuned in.” Continue reading →

United States Postal Service says Capitol Hill’s rogue mailbox is ready for the 2024 election — UPDATE

Posted on by
1

Ready and willing on 15th Ave E (Image: CHS)

It is a small piece of a giant system but Capitol Hill voters can hopefully rest a little easier knowing the United State Postal Service is checking every last box when it comes to making sure ballots are getting where they are supposed to go in the state’s popular all-mail system.

The 15th Ave E rogue mailbox is in service and carriers won’t leave ballots hanging in election limbo in 2024, the USPS says.

“The U.S. Postal Service is committed to the timely and secure delivery of election mail and has a plan in place to make sure all collection boxes are in working order for our customers,” a USPS spokesperson tells CHS.

Following last year’s November election, officials scrambled after it turned out 85 ballots were buried in mail that had not been collected from the USPS dropbox located near Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill campus. Continue reading →

Congresswoman Jayapal holding Madison Park, Madrona, the Central District, and Capitol Hill town hall

Posted on by

Jayapal marked Earth Day by helping the Washington Trails Association (Image: Jayapal office)

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal will hold a neighborhood town hall Wednesday night for Madison Park, Madrona, the Central District, and Capitol Hill.

The federal leader for the state’s 7th congressional district represents voters from across the area from Vashon Island to Shoreline and has held town halls in other areas in recent years. Wednesday night, Jayapal will address and hear from her Central Seattle constituents:

The location of Wednesday night’s appearance is under wraps. To take part, attendees have been asked to RSVP for the Wednesday, April 24th, 5:30 to 7:30 PM town hall. “Registrants will receive a confirmation email with the location on Tuesday, April 23,” Jayapal’s office promises. Continue reading →

‘National Alert’ — Integrated Public Alert and Warning System test will have phones buzzing around Seattle Wednesday morning

Posted on by

(Image: FEMA)

Get ready for a cacophony at 11:20 AM. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced a Wednesday morning, October 4th national test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System:

The national test will help ensure that Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) continue to be effective ways to warn the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. All major U.S. wireless providers participate in Wireless Emergency Alerts and will transmit the national test to their subscribers. If your mobile phone is on and within range of an active cell tower from a participating wireless provider, you should receive the national test. Wireless providers will transmit the national test for 30 minutes, but your phone should only receive it once.

In addition to buzzing phones, the EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. Continue reading →

Excessive force and community trust: Seattle Police Department’s 12 years of federal oversight ends

Posted on by

A recent Coffee with a Cop event (Image: SPD)

After “full, sustained and lasting compliance,” the federal consent decree has been lifted from the Seattle Police Department, ending 12 years of controls and oversight after a civil rights investigation found evidence of excessive force and biased policing.

“This is a day to celebrate. The judge highlighted the hard work of the officers,” The Seattle Times reports Chief Adrian Diaz said after the decision this week by U.S. District Judge James Robart issued his key ruling lifting the decree.

“Judge Robart’s ruling is a critical milestone in our efforts to reform policing. It recognizes the significant changes in our approach to crime, behavioral health incidents, and professional standards,” Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement that also raised three key issues identified by the court as priorities for further reform — “use of force in crowd management, the effectiveness and sustainability of the accountability system currently in place, and the results of collective bargaining with the Seattle Police Officers Guild.”

The city’s agreement with the guild remains under negotiation in a protracted labor battle that continues to flare publicly with disputes over how many sworn officers the city needs. SPOG has been operating without a contract since 2020. Continue reading →