Mayor Katie Wilson orders Seattle police to ‘investigate, verify, and document ICE activity’

She is also allocating $4 million in taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants' legal fees and support, and urged businesses and property owners to put up notices banning ICE from their property. The announcement comes despite city officials acknowledging there is currently no indication of a surge in ICE or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activity in Seattle.

https://twitter.com/thehoffather/status/2017040041907016040?s=20

Wilson’s plan frames the measures as “initial steps to address federal immigration enforcement activities.” The steps include directing the already short-staffed Seattle Police Department (SPD) to document ICE activity, mandating that verified information be shared with community partners, prohibiting ICE from staging operations on city property, investing $4 million in immigrant support organizations, and establishing a new “Stand Together Seattle Initiative.”

“Whoever you are, and wherever you come from: if Seattle is your home, then this is your city,” Wilson said. “And it’s our responsibility as city leaders to move quickly and get organized so we can keep people safe. That is why I am taking immediate steps today to bar federal agents from using city property for federal civil immigration enforcement activity, update SPD protocols, and support trusted community partners to aid the community response, which is our most powerful tool.”

Under the mayor’s directive, SPD officers dispatched to locations where ICE activity is reported will be instructed to document federal operations with video, verify the identity of federal agents through official identification, and secure scenes of potentially unlawful acts in order to gather evidence for possible transmission to prosecutors.

SPD will also be required to cooperate with city departments and “trusted community organizations” to ensure the public has what the city calls “the latest and most accurate information” regarding ICE activities. The mayor did not state who the community organizations were. While she was campaigning for office, Wilson used Antifa militants as security.

https://twitter.com/camhigby/status/1984319534661320845?s=20

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes emphasized that his department would not participate in immigration enforcement but would comply with the mayor’s new protocols. “I understand the concern and anxiety in the community, and I want to make sure everyone knows that the police are here to keep you safe, regardless of your immigration status,” Barnes said. “The City of Seattle is a welcoming city, and my officers will continue to abide by all laws and regulations that prohibit our participation in immigration enforcement. While we have no authority over federal agents or federal policies, we will document incidents if and when notified. The Seattle Police Department’s primary responsibility is the life safety of ALL people.”

One of Wilson’s measures forbids ICE agents from staging operations on any city-owned property, including community centers, parks, parking lots, or other municipal facilities. Wilson also urged other local government entities, including the Seattle School District and Seattle Municipal Court, to adopt similar restrictions.

Additionally, the city plans to post signage on city properties designating certain areas as private spaces and will conduct privacy reviews across all departments to limit data exposure, including reassessing data-sharing provisions in vendor contracts. The mayor said city employees will receive updated training on how to report and respond to federal enforcement activity. As part of the initiative, the city will invest $4 million in city funds to organizations involved in immigrant legal defense, including for illegal aliens, community support services, and what the city describes as the “long-term needs” of immigrant communities.

The newly announced “Stand Together Seattle Initiative” will also encourage private property owners to post notices stating that federal agents may not access their property without a warrant.

Wilson said in a statement, “So many of us are shocked and heartbroken by the news out of Minneapolis, and share a growing concern that our city too could come under attack by the federal government. I’m also disturbed by what I’ve been hearing about the huge spike in hotline calls there from families that can’t pay their rent because they’re afraid to leave their homes and go to work, and about small businesses at the end of their rope because the federal incursion has made it impossible to operate.” She added, “The federal government is causing profound, long-term harm to so many communities, and we all have a shared responsibility to organize, practice solidarity, and do what we can to keep Seattle safe.”

City Attorney Erika Evans endorsed Wilson’s plan, saying, “Seattle stands with Minnesota. The reckless escalations and violent tactics of federal agents in the Twin Cities are the latest reminder that President Trump means to punish and intimidate communities. We must prepare for that moment with courage and urgency, and today’s actions do just that.”

Seattle City Council Public Safety Chair Bob Kettle also praised the mayor’s plan, describing federal law enforcement actions as harmful to public safety. “Our Council will continue the work to create a Safer Seattle in the face of unprecedented federal law enforcement actions in cities across America, which do not promote, but in fact, worsen, public safety,” Kettle said.

The city’s announcement acknowledges that there is no current evidence of an increase in ICE or CBP activity in Seattle. Nevertheless, the administration argues that preemptive measures are necessary to prevent what it describes as potential future “federal incursions.”