
Immigration
The Keep Washington Working (KWW) Act was a bipartisan law passed by our state legislature in 2019 in order to preserve local resources, increase public safety, and protect the privacy of Washington residents, regardless of immigration status. It prohibits local law enforcement and jails from collecting place of birth and immigration status information, sharing personal information with immigration authorities unless required by law, and holding people on ICE detainers or administrative warrants. What will you do to ensure that [your jurisdiction/police department/Sheriff’s Office/jail] will be in full compliance with this new state law?Spokane only:
Following the guidance of Washington’s Attorney General, the Spokane City Council passed an ordinance by a vote of 6-1 in 2018, requiring that federal immigration agents have a warrant before entering non-public areas of city property, including the bus boarding area of the Intermodal Center. This law would limit the frequent, suspicionless searches by armed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, which often target people of color, but would continue allowing investigations for suspected criminal activity. As mayor, what measures would you take to ensure that the city ordinance is enforced?
Homelessness/Housing Crisis
What would you do differently, if anything, to address the housing crisis than the approach the current council and administration have taken?Seattle only:
Like many cities across the country, Seattle is experiencing a housing crisis that has pushed thousands of people, and disproportionately people of color, out of their homes and into vehicles, tents, and other make-shift shelters. The City’s current response includes investing millions of dollars in police and forcing homeless people from one site to another while destroying their belongings, continuing a long history of policies that segregate and displace people of color and people with few means, from redlining to urban renewal. How do you think Seattle should respond to unsheltered homelessness and how would racial equity inform your approach?