The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) was established in 2012 by Ordinance 123822. The office's stated mission at its founding was to facilitate the successful integration of immigrants and refugees into Seattle's civic, economic, and cultural life; to celebrate their diverse cultures and contributions to Seattle; to advocate on behalf of immigrants and refugees, and to promote a citywide culture that understands and values the benefits of immigrants and refugee communities being successfully integrated into civic, economic, and cultural life.