Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, a Democrat, signed two new executive orders designed to counter federal immigration enforcement efforts.
One executive order directs city entities to “prepare the City and protect our local communities and resources if the National Guard is unilaterally deployed to Seattle,” while the second order aims to “strengthen and enhance the City of Seattle’s response to federal threats to our immigrant and refugee communities.”
“We are in a truly unprecedented time in modern history where the president is talking about using American cities as ‘training grounds’ for the military – a disturbing statement that shows his disrespect for the law and disregard for the collaboration it takes between all levels of government to ensure our country thrives,” said Harrell. “As I said last week in partnership with Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown, we do not need federal troops in Seattle, and this dangerous strategy will only sow fear, distrust, and confusion in our communities. We cannot be under-prepared at this critical moment when President Trump is escalating his attacks on cities and carrying out his cruel deportation agenda on our immigrant and refugee neighbors with warrantless arrests by masked, un-identifiable officers. These Executive Orders are proactive steps we can take to protect our communities and values.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) signed an executive order Monday prohibiting federal immigration officials from using city property during their activities.
The order prohibits immigration officials from using a “city-owned and controlled parking lot, vacant lot, or garage” as a base for immigration enforcement. It further allows “private landowners and leaseholders” to display signage delineating “non-public areas of the property in which the landowner or leaseholder wishes to restrict activities related to civil immigration enforcement.”
