(The Center Square) – The city of Seattle may need to “delay or defer” transportation projects or programs because of the expense of installing hundreds of signs warning that city property cannot be used by federal authorities for immigration enforcement actions.
A fiscal note provided for Tuesday’s (March 10) Public Safety Committee meeting states, “To the extent that appropriations made in the 2026 Adopted Budget support other activities, and for which SDOT cannot find efficiencies / savings to otherwise support, SDOT may have to delay or defer projects or programs to free up funding for the signage costs that will be incurred pursuant to this legislation. Cost for signage is indeterminate at this point as FAS has not yet completed a review of all the properties that would be covered by this legislation.”
The Seattle Department of Transportation is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Seattle streets, roadways and bridges, in addition to running two streetcar lines.
The note does not list possible potential cuts that could be made by the SDOT.
A Feb. 24 city council research staff memo said that the posting of 656 signs on city property was expected to cost SDOT $45,000 to produce the signs and an unspecified amount to install them.
The $45,000 figure, if accurate, would be less than 1% of SDOT’s budget.
It’s unclear whether the cost of installing the signs has risen.
The city council and city officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The signs are scheduled to be placed on a variety of locations, including multiple spots in front of City Hall, the Seattle Center, parking garages and parks.
They are already being up as part of Mayor Katie Wilson’s Jan. 29 executive order prohibiting federal immigration authorities from using city-owned or controlled property for enforcement activities.
“Whoever you are, and wherever you come from: If Seattle is your home, then this is your city,” Wilson said in issuing the order. “And it’s our responsibility as city leaders to move quickly and get organized so we can keep people safe.”
The policy mandates that police officers must video record U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions using body-worn and in-car cameras and verify that agents are not impersonating law enforcement.
Public Safety Committee Chair Bob Kettle said earlier this month that placing the signs on city property is the right thing to do to show immigrants that the city supports them.
A U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson in a statement to The Center Square on Feb. 26 said the department “will not tolerate the obstruction of lawful efforts to enforce federal immigration law and has sued several jurisdictions over sanctuary policies that put the American people at risk.”
Chicago and Providence have passed similar executive orders on signage barring immigration action on city property.
No legal action has been taken against Seattle by federal officials.
