CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION reaffirming The City of Seattle as a Welcoming City; and committing to maintaining policies that support all Seattle residents regardless of ancestry, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical or mental disability, religion, or immigration status.
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WHEREAS, Seattle fosters a culture and environment that makes it a vibrant, global city where immigrant and refugee residents can fully participate in and be integrated into the social, civic, and economic fabric of Seattle; and
WHEREAS, nearly one in five Seattle residents is foreign born and 140 languages are spoken in Seattle’s public schools; and
WHEREAS, Washington State is the country’s eighth largest refugee-receiving state and a majority of the estimated 6,000 new arrivals each year are resettled in Seattle-King County; and
WHEREAS, Washington State is home to immigrants and refugees of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and faiths-including an estimated 100,000 Muslim residents-who contribute to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the state, and call cities like Seattle home as neighbors, colleagues, and community members; and
WHEREAS, immigrants and refugees in Seattle contribute significantly to the local economy, with immigrant-owned businesses in Washington State generating over $2.3 billion in annual revenue and creating thousands of jobs; and
WHEREAS, more than 13,000 undocumented youth in Washington State are the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and they deserve an opportunity to have a bright future and to contribute their time and talent to make Seattle a city of innovation and growth; and
WHEREAS, City employees serve all residents and make City services accessible to all, regardless of immigration status, and City agencies and law enforcement cannot withhold services based on ancestry, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical or mental disability, immigration status, or religion; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle has previously adopted Resolution 30355 in 2001, honoring Seattle’s immigrant community, and Resolution 30796 in 2005, relating to development of an action plan to identify and address issues facing Seattle’s immigrant communities; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle adopted Resolution 30851 in 2006, Resolution 31193 in 2010, and Resolution 31490 in 2013 supporting Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform and fostering family unity with a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented, including students who arrived in the U.S. as children; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle enacted Ordinance 123822 in 2012 to create an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and renaming the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Board to the Immigrant and Refugee Commission; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle adopted Ordinance 121063 in 2003 to establish policies of the Seattle Police Department to protect immigrants’ access to police protection and public services regardless of immigration status, subsequently reaffirmed by Resolution 30672 in 2004 and Resolution 31730 in 2017; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle adopted Resolution 31724 in 2016 reaffirming Seattle’s values of inclusion, respect, and justice, and the City’s commitment toward actions to reinforce these values; and calling on President Donald Trump to condemn recent attacks and hate speech that perpetuate religious persecution, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed the Keep Washington Working Act with bipartisan support, restricting the extent to which local law enforcement agencies may participate in the enforcement of federal immigration laws; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the Washington State Legislature passed the Courts Open to All Act, which prohibited judges, court staff, prosecutors, prosecutor’s office staff, and court security personnel from inquiring into or collecting information about an individual’s immigration or citizenship status or place of birth, and from disclosing nonpublic personal information to immigration authorities, except as required by law, among other protections for immigrants and refugees interacting with the court system; and
WHEREAS, on January 10, 2025, the Mayor issued a Directive that directs department directors to conduct an internal review of their policies, practices, and materials to confirm that they are updated to maintain consistency with applicable law related to federal immigration enforcement, requires all requests from federal immigration enforcement agencies be directed to the Mayor’s Office, and requires identified department staff to participate in train-the-trainer activities led by the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs; and
WHEREAS, on February 21, 2025, the Mayor issued an Executive Order to improve accessibility of information by requiring the creation of the Seattle’s first plain language plan and new approaches to make information and services more accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency; and
WHEREAS, on March 6, 2025, the Seattle City Council Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes heard from representatives of vulnerable communities most impacted by federal administration policy changes, who consistently requested that The City of Seattle maintain funding for programs and policies that support immigrants and refugees, low-wage workers, communities at risk of displacement, and continued investments and policies that support women- and minority-owned business enterprises, the LGBTQ business community, and community wealth-building strategies; and
WHEREAS, community-based organizations report strong concerns of increasing criminalization of immigrants, expanded deportation efforts and expedited removal, and threats of mass deportation, potentially in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, targeted on the basis of race or ethnicity in violation of the Equal Protection Clause, or denied due process rights based on immigration status; and
WHEREAS, Seattle benefits tremendously from the large number of diverse immigrants and refugees who contribute to the development of a culturally and economically diverse and enriched community; and
WHEREAS, the level of anti-immigrant and anti-refugee rhetoric during the 2024 presidential campaign, racist hate speech toward immigrant and refugee communities, and anti-immigrant and anti-refugee policies proposed by the current federal administration is alarming; and
WHEREAS, research consistently shows that sanctuary counties have lower crime rates than non-sanctuary counties and contribute positively to economic growth, cultural diversity, and community vitality; and
WHEREAS, Seattle is committed to continue building a welcoming, safe, and hate-free environment in communities, where all immigrants and refugees are welcomed, accepted, and integrated; and to encourage business leaders, civic groups, community institutions, and residents to join in a community-wide effort to adopt policies and practices that promote integration, inclusion, and equity; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The Seattle City Council (“Council”) reaffirms its commitment to welcoming and actively supporting immigrants and refugees from all nationalities, religions, and backgrounds with policies programs, and dedicated resources that foster inclusion, meaningful participation, and economic opportunity for all.
Section 2. The Council reaffirms City policy that City employees will continue to serve all residents and make City services accessible to all residents, regardless of immigration status. City policy further states that: the City will not withhold services on the basis of ancestry, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical or mental disability, religion, or immigration status; and City employees will not require any person seeking or accessing City programs or services to disclose their immigration status. The Council requests that City departments develop and maintain regular training programs for all employees on immigrant rights, cultural responsiveness, and language access requirements, and continue to designate at least one staff member to serve as a language access liaison, responsible for advancing departmental compliance with these policies.
Section 3. The Council affirms City policy that the City will not cooperate or assist with any registration or surveillance programs or any other rules or policies that are inconsistent with the Constitution or laws of the United States and targeted at immigrants and refugees, and rejects any attempts to characterize family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues as enemies of the state.
Section 4. The Council reaffirms City policy stating that City officials will abide by state law prohibiting local law enforcement agencies from entering into any contract, agreement, or arrangement that would grant an officer authority for federal civil immigration enforcement. As such, the City will reject any offer from the federal government to enter into a Section 287(g) agreement per the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). The Council further recognizes and reaffirms City policy that the City will not honor detainer requests from federal civil immigration enforcement agencies without a judicial warrant, will not allow federal civil immigration agents to access non-public areas of City facilities without a judicial warrant, and will not share information with federal immigration authorities except as expressly required by federal or state law. The Council requests that City departments implement regular training for law enforcement officers and all City staff on these policies. The Council further reaffirms its position that the Seattle Police Department should be focused on the safety and security of all Seattle residents regardless of immigration status and refuses to allow its police officers to be compelled into service as de facto immigration officers.
Section 5. The Council requests that the City Attorney’s Office continue to take all necessary measures to comply with the Courts Open to All Act and other relevant state law. The Council further requests that the City Attorney’s Office implement policies that endeavor to prevent unjust immigration consequences for immigrants and refugees at all stages of the criminal legal process, and take into consideration whether noncitizen residents may face harsher punishments than U.S. citizens solely due to their immigration status. The Council requests that the City Attorney’s Office further develop specialized capacity in immigration law and procedures.
Section 6. The Council requests that all City facilities post signage clearly designating areas that are not open to the public to assist City employees in implementing the Mayor’s Directive, dated January 10, 2025 (“Mayor’s Directive”), that directs employees to refer requests to the Mayor’s Office when Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal authorities related to immigration enforcement request access to non-public areas in City buildings and venues. The Council further requests that all City departments fully comply with the Mayor’s Directive, and assess on an annual basis that all policies and protocols are still aligned with this directive.
Section 7. The Council supports the City in using all legal avenues at its disposal to resist any efforts to impose on the City any immigration, spending, or funding policy that violates the Constitution and laws of the United States. The Council supports the City Attorney’s Office’s establishment of a team that monitors federal actions that may target immigrant communities and to prepare legal strategies in response. The Council shall consider allocating additional resources to support this critical work.
Section 8. In balancing the City’s budget, the Council commits to minimizing adverse impacts to investments for the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), including but not limited to: deportation defense, rapid response efforts coordinated with King County and Washington State agencies, citizenship programs, English language learning and workforce development programs, as well as know your rights trainings for City staff, contracted community organizations, and immigrants and refugees. In balancing the City’s budget, the Council commits to minimizing adverse impacts to investments and/or policies to support language access, ensuring that City services reach all communities. The Council commits to drafting and considering an amendment to the 2025 Adopted Budget that would add at least $300,000 to OIRA to respond to emerging needs as unwarranted and inhumane immigration enforcement continues to escalate.
Section 9. The Council commits to supporting the City’s diverse business community and to balancing the City’s budget in a way that minimizes harm to women- and minority-owned business enterprises, the LGBTQ business community, and the Office of Economic Development’s community wealth building strategies. The Council requests that the Office of Economic Development continue to promote and consider expanding outreach for existing programs within the City, region, and Washington State that provide targeted technical assistance, access to capital, language-appropriate business development resources, and protection from exploitation. The Council further requests that City investments supporting the City’s diverse business community continue to include, but not be limited to, cultural- and language-specific outreach strategies for immigrant entrepreneurs in underserved neighborhoods.
Section 10. The Council commits to continuing to support robust anti-displacement investments and policies that help maintain Seattle as a place where all residents can thrive regardless of their ancestry, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical or mental disability, religion, or immigration status. In balancing the City’s budget, the Council commits to minimizing adverse impacts to the Equitable Development Initiative, the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, and the Office of Housing’s JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax Community Self-Determination Fund and other affordable housing programs.
Section 11. The Council is proud to support robust labor standards for low-wage workers, as a nationwide leader in protecting workers’ rights. In balancing the City’s budget, the Council is committed to supporting investments in the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) and minimizing harm to Seattle’s most vulnerable workers, as well as the City’s high-road employers and hiring entities. The Council condemns employers and hiring entities that threaten to retaliate against workers based on their real or perceived immigration status. Similar to all City agencies as discussed in Section 2 of this resolution, the Council understands that OLS will offer its services to all people regardless of their immigration status and will take all legally allowable actions to keep information private in rendering its services. These services include investigating potential violations of labor standards, providing outreach and education on labor standards, and providing resources and referrals. The Council requests that OLS continue to maintain specialized outreach materials in multiple languages explaining workers' rights regardless of immigration status and explicitly addressing the prohibition on immigration-based retaliation. The Council further requests that OLS continue to provide confidential reporting processes specifically designed to protect vulnerable immigrant workers from exploitation and partner with trusted community organizations to conduct targeted outreach to immigrant workers. The Council particularly recognizes the importance of continuing funding community and business organizations to provide outreach and assistance with labor standards, for those workers and businesses that do not feel comfortable contacting OLS directly about their rights and obligations.
Section 12. The Council shall support the efforts of elected officials and staff in local jurisdictions throughout Washington State in developing policies protecting immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ people, women, and other populations whose rights may be abrogated and interests harmed by those who would unconstitutionally and illegally misuse the power of the federal government to do so.
Section 13. The Council requests that OIRA consult with community-based organizations contracted by the City to provide services to immigrant and refugee communities, as well as with the Immigrant and Refugee Commission, in order to provide the Mayor and Council with an annual update evaluating the City’s progress in implementing the requests outlined in this resolution, as well as any other relevant policies and programs that protect immigrants and refugees. The Council requests that OIRA provide an initial update no later than September 15, 2025.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)