OPINION | Why Seattle Invests in Citizenship and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever

On the 249th celebration of our independence, beneath the Space Needle, more than 500 people from around the world became Americans. I was proud to welcome them at Seattle's 40th annual Naturalization Ceremony, not just as new citizens, but as new neighbors, coworkers, and friends. 

Even in this moment of joy, I couldn't help but contrast the national conversation unfolding around us, where questions of who belongs, who is protected, and who is excluded grow sharper by the day, and where birthright citizenship itself is challenged. Citizenship is more than just status — it is protection, affirmation, and a claim to the rights our nation's founders declared in 1776. 

Seattle is home to over 147,000 foreign-born residents and one of America's most diverse ZIP codes. These families, workers, and students from around the world contribute to Seattle's economy and to our city's cultural fabric. While some politicians stoke fear through travel bans, raids, or dubious enforcement tactics, Seattle will always lead by our values.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "All are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

The truth is clear when we recognize citizenship fully. Nearly 20% of Seattleites were born abroad — a 47% increase over 25 years — fueling our prosperity. New Americans see an average 11% income boost after naturalization, and immigrant-owned businesses generate $12.7 billion in taxes for Seattle.

In the next 40 years, 1 in 5 Americans will be born outside the U.S., according to the Census Bureau. In King County alone, more than 75,000 residents are eligible for citizenship today. These neighbors already fuel our local economy — from tech and trade to health care, construction, the arts, and hospitality. As a global port city and home to internationally recognized companies, Seattle thrives because of immigrant talent and entrepreneurship. Supporting pathways to citizenship isn't just inclusive — it's essential to our regional and national economic future.

As Seattle prepares to host the FIFA World Cup, I am reminded that cities are the goalies in the net — a critical line of defense for our immigrant neighbors. As federal actions threaten legal status, citizenship unlocks belonging, economic power, and safety. As an executive committee member of Cities and Counties for Citizenship, along with Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, we are a network of 117 localities working at the local level to support citizenship.

Our blueprint for other cities is effective and pragmatic:

• Since 1997, the New Citizen Program has helped nearly 1,000 low-income residents each year save thousands in legal and application fees.

• We've invested over $300,000 in naturalization workshops and financial assistance for 22,000 eligible residents.

• We provide language access in more than 15 languages and fund Rapid Response legal aid in partnership with frontline organizations through our Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.  

• Seattle law bars cooperation with warrantless detention, protecting families pursuing citizenship.

As mayor, and as a Black and Japanese American man who knows firsthand the generational consequences of internment and discrimination, I understand the cost of exclusion. I also know the power of belonging. That's why I believe in citizenship's promise. We have always been a nation of people seeking freedom, opportunity, and dignity. That's as true for those naturalized on the Fourth of July as it was for my Black father's family who escaped the Jim Crow South, for my Japanese mother's family who faced incarceration during World War II, for all those whose ancestors arrived generations ago in search of a better life.

I was proud to have supported the tenacity of the more than 500 Seattleites who took their oath to become U.S. citizens, forever changing their future. To my fellow mayors and county executives, I encourage you to prioritize citizenship — it's how we strengthen our cities, and how we live up to the ideals we celebrate.

The South Seattle Emerald is committed to holding space for a variety of viewpoints within our community, with the understanding that differing perspectives do not negate mutual respect amongst community members.

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the contributors on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the Emerald or official policies of the Emerald.

Bruce Harrell is the current mayor of Seattle.