🏢 ICE opening office in Tukwila

ICE Will Have a New Office in Tukwila

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is expanding ICE’s physical presence across the country with more than 150 leases and office expansions, including one in Tukwila at Riverfront Technical Park. The new offices will be near schools, DMV offices, churches, doctors, restaurants, and businesses. [WIRED]

• Nearly ‘Unlimited’ Funding: According to WIRED, Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave $80 million to ICE last year, which has allowed the agency to double in size. It now has over 20,000 agents and officers across the country.
• ICE at FIFA World Cup: This expansion comes as ICE acting director Todd Lyons told New Jersey Rep. Nellie Pou that ICE would be a “key part of the overall security apparatus” of the FIFA World Cup. Last summer, Border Patrol posted on Facebook that they would be “suited and booted ready to provide security.” [The Stranger]
• WAISN’s role as ICE expands operations: Today on the podcast, we talked with the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network about how they are responding to increased demand for community resources amidst increased ICE activity. Watch or listen here.

Number of Unhoused People in King County to Increase 🏠

King County expects a higher count of unhoused people this year as they complete the federally required survey that happens each January. Last year’s count was the largest yet, at more than 16,000 people. That number is expected to go up by 1500 or 2000 people, as it has over the last several years. [Seattle Times]

Delayed Sweep of Ballard Encampment to Go Forward 🏘️

On Tuesday, Mayor Katie Wilson announced she would move forward with the sweep of a homeless encampment in Ballard. Last month, Mayor Katie Wilson visited the encampment in Ballard that was scheduled to be cleared and decided to delay the sweep. In a statement on her decision, Wilson said her teams found housing for six members of the encampment. However, not everyone has been housed, and now a notice has been posted at the site that it will be cleared in the next 48 hours.

Family of Student Killed by SPD Officer Reaches Settlement 🚓

The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old engineering student who was killed by a Seattle police officer in 2023, has settled the lawsuit it brought against the City of Seattle. Kandula died after Kevin Dave ran her over at the intersection of Thomas and Dexter while driving 74MPH in a 25MPH zone. The amount of the settlement, $29 million plus $11,000, is a reference to a remark made by then SPOG vice president Daniel Auderer, who was caught on bodycam footage saying to SPOG president Mike Solan that Kandula’s life had “limited value,” “Just write a check. $11,000,” he said. Both Dave and Auderer have since been fired by SPD. [PubliCola]