Seattle councilmember moves to restrict ICE information sharing

SEATTLE, Wash. - Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera has introduced legislation that would amend the city’s municipal code to explicitly prohibit city employees from sharing non-public information for use in the enforcement of civil immigration laws without a judicial warrant.

The bill, CB 121158, would also strike outdated language in city code that directed cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Rivera said the measure is intended to clarify Seattle’s policies as federal officials continue what she described as "unprecedented and egregious actions targeting immigrant communities."

"We need to provide clarity by amending our code to not only reflect our values as a city, but also to align with state and local laws and policies. There should be no confusion where we stand, and no confusion of the law," Rivera said. "The brutal, dehumanizing and, I believe, unconstitutional behavior by ICE officials in our city and others is unacceptable. Whatever actions we can take, such as clarifying and strengthening Seattle’s laws, must be taken. That is what I have done here, and I hope we can act quickly to adopt this bill and protect our residents."

Washington state’s Keep Washington Working Act already limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Rivera said the city’s code must be updated to reflect that state law.

What they're saying:

When asked why she brought forth the ordinance, Rivera said, "It's really a matter of updating our laws to conform with the state law."

The legislation would apply to all city employees, not just law enforcement personnel. While the state law addresses cooperation by law enforcement agencies, Rivera said the bill adds clarity regarding information-sharing by all city departments.

When asked how the ordinance would impact officers on the street, Rivera said, "I can't speak for Seattle Police Department. I can say that again, the law codifies what state law is, so they are following state law and the only new thing that's in here, actually, is something that the state law is silent on, and that is a piece about all city employees, not just law enforcement employees, not sharing the personal information as well."

The Seattle Police Department has made it clear officers do not and will not ask about immigration status during investigations. Rivera said the proposed ordinance would not change that practice but would codify existing state requirements and expand guidance to other departments.

Currently, the municipal code does not spell out consequences for city employees who share such information. Rivera said any enforcement would be handled through departmental leadership and the mayor’s office.

"Well, the Seattle Municipal Code does not currently have anything in place for that. So it's that would have to be worked with the Department and then the mayor, who's ultimately the boss of the departments," Rivera said.

Big picture view:

What happens in the event federal agents arrive without a warrant?

"Well, my hope is that once we pass this and update the code that then it's the mayor as the boss of the city departments and the city departments to educate employees about this change in the code and provide guidance to city employees the way they do any other time," Rivera said.

Sanctuary cities like Seattle have been threatened with loss of federal funding if they don't cooperate with the Trump administration. FOX 13 asked Rivera if she believed this would further risk loss of funds.

"I cannot answer that for certain," Rivera said.

The councilmember said the need for the update became clear as she examined how the city’s code aligned with state law.

"It takes someone looking, I know that Keep Washington Working had been passed and be in response to the egregious actions from the federal government on what I believe to be unconstitutional actions of the federal government. I thought 'What can I do to help? What hasn't been done and what is legal that we can do?' That's when I discovered, in partnering with our lawyer, that the Keep Washington Working Act had not been codified by the Seattle Municipal Code, and then I thought, well, it should," Rivera said.

Addressing critics who argue the city should not shield people living in the country illegally, Rivera defended the contributions of immigrants.

"Well, immigrants come to this country for many different reasons, some fleeing persecution, some because they're living in unsafe places, and some for economic reasons. In the same way that immigrants have always come to this country, and there is a misperception that somehow immigrants come here and take when in fact, we know that immigrants are doing jobs that other folks don't want to do. They work, they pay taxes, and they also don't always receive benefits back, because they're not citizens," Rivera said.

What's next:

The ordinance is scheduled for a full City Council vote at 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 at City Hall.

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