Editorial: Closing Seattle SBA office one more petty act of retribution

The Editorial Board, The Seattle Times on Mar 20, 2025

Published in Op Eds

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

In the avalanche of President Donald Trump news, the March 6 announcement by Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler that she was closing the Seattle office as part of a national effort to relocate facilities "out of sanctuary cities" seems like small potatoes.

But it underscores the common denominators found in so many of this president's actions: a petty small-mindedness intended to stick it to his political enemies. Which, in this case, happens to be the city of Seattle.

First, let's take a look at what the Seattle office of the SBA does. It mostly helps small business owners seeking loans from private banks with guarantees from the federal government. The goal is to help undercapitalized enterprises prosper, hire more people and add to the overall tax base and well-being of the community.

Is Seattle a "sanctuary" city? On Jan. 30, 2017 — 10 days into Trump's first term — the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring Seattle "a Welcoming City"... that "serves its residents regardless of their immigration or refugee status... "

To be clear, people in the country without legal authorization cannot find sanctuary in Seattle. They are vulnerable to federal immigration enforcement, just like anywhere else. State law restricts the extent to which local law enforcement agencies may participate in enforcing immigration laws.

Over the coming months, the SBA promised that Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City and Seattle regional offices will be moved to "less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law."

Considering King County has legislation in the books that looks a lot like Seattle's, one can only surmise that SBA will be looking far from the Northwest's population centers to open a new office, if it does so at all.

Most business owners don't visit the Seattle office in person. The work is done mostly in the field or via phone, with some workshops and meetings held in the current location at Fourth Avenue and Battery Street.

Still, having a presence in the city with the most jobs and banking resources had advantages. It is difficult to see how this move will make the lives of small business owners any easier or increase local economic activity.

Instead, it's just another talking point intended to reassure the MAGA faithful that Trump and his minions continue to own the libs.

That's something to think about come April 15, the deadline when Seattleites and everyone else are expected to file their federal taxes to prop up this sad excuse of a government.

Trump promised the nation we would all feel like winners. The nonsense around closing SBA's Seattle office shows that actions don't have to make any sense as his administration pushes all the wrong buttons.

_____