Seattle-area city officials tell residents to call cops on ICE

After being accused of working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), city officials in Lynnwood, Washington, are reaffirming their commitment to "inclusivity and transparency" by encouraging residents to call 911 on suspected ICE activity.

Mayor George Hurst and Chief of Police Cole Langdon wrote in a letter obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, “The City of Lynnwood is steadfast in its belief that our community members from across the world belong and are welcome. For weeks, we have witnessed the senseless acts of violence in Minneapolis against protestors who are standing up against the questionable removal of their neighbors at the hands of ICE and our federal government.”  

“We have experienced ICE activity in our own community,” the duo continued. “During times of unrest, rumors and misinformation begin to swirl, and the lines between reality and fiction become blurred. There have been questions, comments, and confusion about the City’s, specifically the Lynnwood Police Department’s, involvement with this activity.”  

The two then doubled down on complying with the 2019 Keep Washington Working Act, which designated Washington a so-called “sanctuary state,” which the pair said, “Restricts the involvement of state and local law enforcement in enforcing civil federal immigration law.” They then asked residents, “If you see this activity in our community or are unsure about a situation involving an unmarked vehicle, please call 911. Our officers will carry out their duties of responding to crimes committed within our City, encouraging crime prevention strategies, and engaging with community members respectfully and without discrimination." 
 
Hurst and Langdon added, “For those of you who are expressing your First Amendment right to assemble and peacefully protest what is happening in our community, we will continue to firmly support your right to do so.”

The proposal is the latest in a series of Washington cities targeting ICE. The Spokane City Council is weighing a proposal that would create “immigration enforcement free zones” on city property, including homeless shelters, transit facilities, and public parks. Seattle’s socialist Mayor Katie Wilson previously issued a similar order last month.