Axios Seattle

August 15, 2025
It's finally Friday!
π₯οΈ Today's weather: Rainy and windy with gusts up to 25 mph. High near 70.
π§ Situational awareness: Northbound I-5 will be closed this weekend from I-90 to Northeast 45th Street, starting at 11:59pm today, per WSDOT.
- Drivers heading north can use the I-5 express lanes. The main freeway will reopen at 5am Monday.
π Happy birthday to our Axios Seattle members Daniel Tam-Claiborne and Anne Ward-Ryan!
Today's newsletter is 888 words, a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Our immigrant workforce


Foreign-born noncitizens make up more than 12% of the Seattle-area's workforce, and an even higher share of the region's tech and agricultural employees, census data shows.
Why it matters: The numbers highlight which local industries could be most affected by the Trump administration's mass deportation push β particularly as federal officials roll back programs that have allowed some noncitizens to work in the U.S. legally.
By the numbers: In the Seattle metro area, foreign-born noncitizens β including legal permanent residents and those on work visas β account for 12.7% of the civilian workforce age 16 and older, based on a 2019β2023 average of U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
- That's well above the U.S. average of 8.3%, meaning the Seattle area relies on noncitizen workers more than the nation as a whole.
Zoom in: Among local industries, the Seattle-area information sector has the highest concentration of foreign-born noncitizen workers, at more than 21% of its workforce.
- In the Seattle metro, these workers also make up 20.7% of employees in agriculture and mining; 19.6% in professional services; 16.9% in construction; and 14.3% in accommodations, food service and recreation.
What they're saying: "Immigrants are our neighbors and they are integral to the social and cultural fabric of Seattle and Washington state," Catalina Velasquez, executive director of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, wrote in an emailed statement to Axios.
- Malou ChΓ‘vez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, told Axios that because of shifting federal policies, many immigrants in the U.S. will soon lose their ability to work legally. That will affect not only those individuals and their families, but also local economies, she said.
State of play: Some of the Trump administration's recent policy changes have included the termination of a Biden-era humanitarian parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, and a push to end Temporary Protected Status for migrants from certain countries.
- Those are distinct from the administration's efforts to target and deport undocumented immigrants.
- In June, Trump acknowledged his crackdown was hitting farm and hospitality workers especially hard and vowed to make changes β but so far, no major policy decision has been announced, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj write.
2. π§οΈ River of rain
An atmospheric river is expected to soak Seattle tonight, delivering up to an inch of rain in the city and potentially five times that much in the mountains.
Why it matters: This may be a stroke of good news for crews fighting the Bear Gulch fire near Lake Cushman, which has charred more than 8,000 acres since igniting on July 6.
Driving the news: The storm could drop up to 5 inches of rain across Western Washington, with most of it falling over a 36β40 hour window, NWS meteorologist Logan Howard tells Axios.
- About 0.75β1.25 inches is forecast in Seattle and the lowlands with 3β5 inches possible on the west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics, says Howard.
What they're saying: The level of atmospheric moisture in the system has been reaching daily record highs, Howard says. "It's safe to say this is highly unusual for August."
What's next: The rain should clear out by tomorrow morning, per Howard.
3. Morning Buzz: βοΈ Tech jobs axed
π» Database and cloud computing giant Oracle is laying off 161 Seattle employees as part of broader global cuts affecting its cloud and AI infrastructure teams. (GeekWire)
ποΈ Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's chief of staff has resigned due to health issues, marking a key change in the city's leadership team. (Seattle Times)
πΌοΈ Seattle's new 66,000-square-foot Cannonball Arts center opens today at the former Bed Bath & Beyond site on Third Avenue, blending immersive, touchable installations with traditional exhibits. (The Stranger)
4. π Free weekend fun!
If you're looking for fun ways to enjoy one of Seattle's last summer weekends, we've got a few ideas.
πΏ Relive a classic with a special screening of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at Freeway Park.Friday 6:30pm. Free.
π Celebrate South Park at SOPASUPA!, a free festival with vendors, cultural performances, lucha libre wrestling, a lowrider showcase, skatepark events, food and family activities. Saturday 12-9pm. Free.
π§Ί Picnic at a pocket park: Bring a blanket and snacks to a gathering at Plymouth Pillars Park during the weekend's I-5 northbound closure. Saturday 2β4pm. Free.
ποΈ Search for treasures: The long-running Capitol Hill Garage Sale returns to Cal Anderson Park with more than 100 sellers and independent garage sales throughout the neighborhood. Sunday 10am.-3pm. Free.
5. π Where are we?
This city courtyard is inviting, but I rarely see anyone using it. Do you know where we are?
Just hit reply or email us with your guesses. We'll reveal the location next week!
πΊ Clarridge is planning to binge "The Hunting Wives" per recommendations from her friends in Texas.
π¨ Melissa is finally going to try to organize her bag of tools, which includes mixed up drill bits and pieces of socket sets. Wish her luck!
This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz. `
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