Grieving cold air and rain, intense and tarps are dozens
of asylum seekers from Congo,
Nigeria and Venezuela like Javier Ponce,
who left his country leaving his entire family behind.
Reflecting on the weather he's been dealing with,
Javier tells me he's never endured brutal conditions like he
has in the last six months.
Being here in Seattle, Jonathan Rotumba,
a 22 year old Congolese asylum seeker,
2, says they're facing dire situations.
They're tents and tarps, constantly being blown away.
He's tended to them time and time again.
He tells me there's no stability for anyone,
so they're fighting for the one thing they've been asking
for since day 1A,
roof over their head.
With their camp just feet away from it,
Javier says we're looking at it.
The hotel is vacant with nowhere to go.
They're giving King County what they think is the best
solution,
moving into the former Econo Lodge off 167 in Kent.
What used to be the COVID emergency hotel now unused.
Jonathan says this would give a lot of people hope,
stability and happiness. For 11 year old Jocelyn,
it means a brighter future.
I want to enroll in school.
The one subject he can't wait to learn,
science. Time is already ticking.
King County making it very clear they're trespassing and if
they don't leave by tomorrow afternoon,
they could be arrested.
Their greatest fear is the consequences they may face.
Jonathan included, he says a criminal record may put his
case at risk,
yet they have nowhere else to go.
It's unclear where these people will go if and when
police do show up.
I reached out to the mayor of Kent but heard
back from the Kent Police Department who sent us this
statement in part saying,
quote, the current immigration issues are of national and statewide
concern.
Neither S King Cities nor King County has the resources
to address these concerns.
It is appropriate for the federal government to step in
and in its absence.
The response to this issue must be spread across the
entire state and not concentrated in South King County.
More than $30 million in federal money will be available
for the.
Immigration issues, but that's not available until July.
We'll keep you posted on what happens in Kent.
Alejandro, FOX 13 News.