(The Center Square) – King County Executive Director Girmay Zahilay on Thursday signed an executive order prohibiting federal immigration authorities from accessing non-public, county-owned or controlled spaces. The executive order also allocates $2 million to bolster protections for immigrant and refugee communities.
Other provisions of the executive order include:
Directing the King County Sheriff’s Office to provide publicly available protocols for responding to 911 calls reporting immigration enforcement.Directing all King County departments to support Know Your Rights resources and fully review all policies and procedures to ensure alignment with Washington’s sanctuary status.Requiring King County International Airport to upgrade security cameras to monitor deportation flights.
“Every resident who calls King County home, regardless of their citizenship status, deserves safety, dignity, and to live without fear or intimidation,” Zahilay said in a news release announcing the executive order.
He went on to say, “Entire communities are living in fear that they may never see their loved ones again, a direct effect of federal overreach. This Executive Order is an immediate step we must take to protect the rights of King County residents, maintain community trust, and ensure local advocacy organizations have the resources they need to support impacted communities.”
Critics characterize federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration as aggressive, militarized, large-scale detention and deportation efforts that violate civil liberties, including the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens.
Last month, two U.S. citizens, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis during intensified immigration enforcement efforts. Both shootings occurred amid rising tensions over the issue.
Zahilay’s executive order takes effect immediately.
This action is part of a broader push by officials in Washington to limit any possible federal immigration enforcement efforts in the state.
Last month, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced a series of initial steps to prepare the city for a potential surge in federal immigration enforcement.
Those initial steps include directing the Seattle Police Department to verify the identification of federal agents and document reports of immigration enforcement activity, prohibiting federal immigration officials from using city-owned or controlled property for enforcement activities, and allocating $4 million to local immigrant support organizations.
The state Legislature is considering House Bill 2641, which would bar state and local law enforcement from hiring former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Also under consideration is Senate Bill 5855, which prohibits law enforcement, including ICE agents, from wearing masks while interacting with the public.
At a news conference last month, Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown issued a strong condemnation of recent federal immigration enforcement actions in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of Good and Pretti.
