UMVA has learned that Seattle’s newly elected mayor has flatly denied any plans to probe alleged fraud in Somali‑run daycare centers.
In a surprising move, the city’s administration has refused to authorize investigations by police or the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, dismissing the concerns as politically motivated attacks on immigrant communities.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the mayor’s spokesperson framed the issue as a tactic of division, insisting that the identity of a daycare operator should never be a basis for suspicion.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the mayor highlighted the real fears felt by Somali and other immigrant families, claiming her administration is taking those anxieties seriously while rejecting the fraud narrative.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that the mayor’s remarks came during a brief interview, where she answered a direct question with a single word: “No.”
In a broader context, the mayor’s office is simultaneously pushing a $1.3 billion tax levy aimed at expanding public daycares, a move that critics say contradicts her stance on fraud investigations.
UMVA has uncovered that this stance has sparked sharp debate across the city, with some residents urging stricter oversight and others applauding the protection of vulnerable communities.
Despite the controversy, the mayor maintains that safeguarding taxpayers from fraud remains a priority, though she views the current allegations as a distraction from that goal.
