By Carolyn Bick
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
In his first-ever executive order, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced in a news conference today a number of new protections and investments in King County’s immigrant and refugee communities, including $2 million in assistance and more transparency around deportation flights from Boeing Field.
Even though immigration enforcement may seem like a national, “far away” issue, Zahilay said, “it’s not far away. This is as hyper-local as it gets, and there is a lot that local governments can and must do to address this very urgent problem.”
“We’ve all seen the terror that communities are experiencing at the hands of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), the kidnappings, the raids, the family separations, the unjustified killings,” Zahilay continued. “Our residents right here in King County are experiencing many of those same harms and they fear that the situation could escalate.”
Zahilay said that he formed the order’s directives after listening to community groups stating what they and their communities need.
The order allocates $2 million in emergency funding for immigrant and refugee communities to support rental, food, and legal assistance, and bars immigration officials from staging or conducting civil immigration enforcement in non-public areas of County buildings.
In tandem with the latter item in Zahilay’s executive order, King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda announced at the news conference that the council will introduce an ordinance that, if passed, would codify the County’s stance against ICE into law. It doubles down on the portion of the executive order restricting ICE use of County-owned areas for immigration activities and staging, and also states that that County will “provide template signage for private property owners or leaseholders to assert their rights as well, to refuse entry without a signed judicial warrant or court order.”
“Combined with the executive order, I can hope that our county residents across the county hear that we are acting with urgency,” Mosqueda said. “The executive order and the ordinance that we are introducing today, strengthen each other, build off one another and strengthen our communities.”
Mosqueda’s office later sent out an email detailing more of the legislation. The legislation also includes provisions that would establish physical barriers like locked gates to prevent immigration enforcement activity; and directs County employees to immediately report immigration enforcement activity to their department or agency director, who will report it to the executive’s office.
Even though a federal court struck down the County’s prohibition on ICE using Boeing Field for deportation flights, the executive order also requires the airport to upgrade security cameras and improve its observation areas, in order to maintain public access and increase transparency, when deportation flights take place.
The order additionally mandates that, by March 16, the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) provide publicly available protocols for responding to 9-1-1 calls reporting immigration enforcement activity. Those protocols include guidelines regarding how to verify law enforcement who are not displaying credentials, and when KSCO officers should record interactions with body cameras.
Zahilay also said that he will create a new immigration policy lead position in the executive’s office.
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