Seattle City Council to vote on ICE detention center moratorium

Name: Seattle City Council to vote on emergency moratorium for new immigration detention centers
Uploaded: 2026-03-09T16:03:48-07:00
Description: The Seattle City Council is set to vote on emergency legislation that would temporarily block new or expanded immigration detention centers within city limits. Supporters say the measure uses the city’s land-use authority to pause new facilities for a year, while critics argue immigration enforcement is a federal matter.

Seattle City Council to vote on emergency moratorium for new immigration detention centers

The Seattle City Council is set to vote on emergency legislation that would temporarily block new or expanded immigration detention centers within city limits. Supporters say the measure uses the city’s land-use authority to pause new facilities for a year, while critics argue immigration enforcement is a federal matter.

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Seattle City Council is set to vote Tuesday on emergency legislation that would temporarily block new immigration detention centers from opening in the city.

The proposed moratorium would also prevent existing facilities from expanding while city leaders consider longer-term policy.

The measure was introduced by Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck who said, "it would prevent new detention centers or any expansions to detention centers, from standing up for the city of Seattle."

Local perspective:

The proposal comes after a federal pre-solicitation notice filed in December suggested the Department of Homeland Security may be exploring options to increase detention capacity in Seattle. A draft plan referenced the possibility of housing more than 1,600 people.

"It's frightening, simply put, it's frightening," Rinck said.

The region already hosts one of the country’s largest immigration detention facilities — the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma — which has capacity for more than 1,500 detainees.

ICE center rally in Tacoma, 2025

The other side:

Critics argue the city should not interfere with federal immigration policy. Rinck said the legislation does not directly target federal operations.

"This legislation does not specifically target federal activities. But rather, we're holding the line to say a detention center, broadly, is not in line with City of Seattle values," Rink said.

The emergency measure would use the city’s land-use authority to pause permits for new detention centers while the council considers permanent regulations over the next year.

Dig deeper:

Other nearby cities, including SeaTac and Tukwila, have recently adopted similar moratoriums, part of what Rinck described as a regional effort to limit new detention facilities.

Rinck said she has not heard directly from Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials about the proposal.

The emergency legislation is scheduled for a full council vote at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Seven votes are required for the measure to pass.

FOX 13 has reached out to DHS and ICE officials and are waiting to hear back.