Minutes Exhibit D
Port Commission Special
Meeting
of May 8. 2018

Dear Port of Seattle Commissioners Bowman, Calkins, Felleman, Gregoire and Steinbrueck,

On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to urge you to adopt Resolution 3747 to commit
the Port of Seattle to better support immigrant and refugee communities. We're a network of
community-based nonprot organizations who help eligible immigrants successfully apply for US.
citizenship. The Port of Seattle is in a unique position to support this effort.

Washington State is home to an estimated 263,000 legal permanent residents (LPRs) eligible to apply for
citizenship.1 Nationwide data tells us that 61% of eligible LPRs have not received information about how
to become U.S. citizens. We also know that nationwide, about 44% of LPRs eligible to naturalize travel
outside the United States at least once a year. If that rate holds true in Washington State, that means that
more than 100,000 eligible LPRs likely go in and out of SeaTac airport for trips abroad every year.

Passing through immigration controls after a trip abroad inevitably prompts travelers to think about
their immigration status, and it's the perfect time and place to make citizenship-related information
available.

Naturalization provides innumerable benefits. Once naturalized, new Americans can participate in and
defend our democracy, travel outside the US. with the protection of a US. passport, and receive
automatic naturalization for their children under age 18 who are permanent residents.

Naturalization creates economic growth by raising incomes for naturalized citizens and supporting
entrepreneurship. The average non-citizen in Washington earns $41,203 per year. On average,
naturalization raises an individual's income by $3,296. If all eligible permanent residents in Washington
naturalized, they could generate $867.3 million in additional earnings for our state's economy.2

Making naturalization information available at SeaTac airport is a cost-friendly initiative with significant
returns that would strengthen our democracy and our economy. Please support Resolution 3747.

Sincerely,

Asian Counseling and Referral Service
Diane Narasaki, Executive Director
3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
Seattle, WA 98144

Chinese Information and Service Center
Stephen Lam, Program Director
611 S Lane St
Seattle, WA 98104

Entre Hermanos
Eric Holzapfel, Immigration Manager

1
New American Economy, 2016. "The Contributions of New Americans in Washington"
https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/nae-wa-report.pdf
2
New American Economy, 2016. "The Contributions of New Americans in Washington"
https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/nae-wa-reportpdf

1105 23rd Avenue
Seattle, WA, 98122

Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center
Ray Garrido, Legal Services Director
3627 Wheaton Way
Bremerton, WA 98310

Korean Community Service Center
Joomi Kim, Executive Director
23830 WA-99 Suite 206
Edmonds, WA 98026

Korean Women's Association
Miyeoung Lee, Social Service Director
123 E. 96th Street
Tacoma, WA 98445

OneAmerica
1225 S. Weller St, Suite 430
Seattle, WA 98144

Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest
Van Kuno, Executive Director
2000 Tower St
Everett, WA, 98201

Tacoma Community House
Liz Begert Dunbar, Executive Director
1314 S L St
Tacoma,WA 98415

West African Community Council
Issa Ndiaye, Executive Director
6322 44th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98118

World Relief Seattle
Chitra Hanstad, Executive Director
841 Central Ave N #C106
Kent, WA 98032