LGBTQ activists in Seattle believe a sharp influx of transgender young adults is causing a civil emergency — and they want taxpayer help.
“Due to the rapid influx of 2SLGBTQIA+ persons seeking refuge in Seattle for increased safety needs, civil rights protections, and access to essential services the Seattle LGBTQ Commission formally recommends that City leaders declare a civil emergency that ensures an effective and empathetic response to protecting these internally displaced persons (IDPs) at a time of urgent crisis for our community,” states the letter.
C. Michael Woodward, executive director of Traction, told The Daily Wire it’s had more than 1600 applicants for relocation services since President Trump’s election but has only been able to help around 130 individuals move, due to resource limitations.
“I’m 63 and transitioned nearly 30 years ago. I’ve been doing trans+ and LGBTQ+ advocacy for almost that long, too,” Woodward told The Daily Wire. “Even so, I never once imagined we’d be doing this kind of work for our community, but here we are.”
Woodward said the group does not work with unaccompanied minors and has not been “presented with the opportunity to work with any emancipated youth” but would “handle those on a case-by-case basis.”
Screenshot from June 25, 2026, Seattle City Council Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes meeting.
“In my day job, I am a program manager for a homeless shelter. We have seen a massive increase in trans–specifically–and queer young adults who are coming here from other states,” said Allen. “We are turning away 10, at least 10 young adults a night, and we are the biggest shelter in the city. And many, many, many of our clients are trans refugees who have come here.”
The meeting focused on how changes in federal policy have impacted local funding. Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ panel discussed how Seattle could build long-term infrastructure to provide social services, such as housing, to the city’s growing number of transgender refugees. Allen warned groups that provide “queer” and “trans specific healthcare” are facing a funding crisis and may not be able to stay open throughout the year.
“If these community-based organizations that are specifically for queer people close, the impact that would have, obviously on the people who use those services, but also every other community-based organization in the city who are also experiencing decreased funding because of the federal–this federal administration–would put a huge strain on the system,” Allen stated.
“We want to make sure that we’re doing this in a very intentional way,” said Stephens. “We know that in our shelter expansion, there will be a trans specific site that will be stood up.”
Stephens explained the mayor formed a Trans and Queer Community Stabilization Interdepartmental Team to create long-term transgender infrastructure as the group figures out “what we do in terms of folks who are migrating here.”
“Across the country we have seen intense attacks against queer and trans people, both with hostile legislation and physical violence,” said Rinck at the meeting. “So, I want to say loud and clear, while we know we have more work to do here in the city of Seattle we need to stand firm in being a welcoming city for queer and trans people.”
“SB 5599 is directed toward families in Washington state, and sets up a terrifying scenario for parents whose kids have fallen prey to gender ideology,” a representative from International Partners for Ethical Care told The Daily Wire. “A child can run away from home in Washington to seek ‘gender affirming care’ and the state authorities or shelters where the child may be found are not required by law to notify the parents of the child’s whereabouts with any urgency.”
International Partners for Ethical Care agreed the law could impact parents nationwide, telling The Daily Wire, “Nothing in the law’s language that would prevent it from being applied to children who arrive in Washington from other states.”
The Daily Wire asked the Seattle LGBTQ Commission and Mayor Wilson’s office for information on how many of the transgender refugees were 18 and under but did not receive a comment. Mayor Wilson did not provide any additional information on the transgender shelter expansion project discussed at the city council meeting.
