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Freedom Cities

This is your source for information on People Power and Freedom Cities in Washington state. The ACLU in Washington has been working with local officials and allies for many years to make our region one of the most welcoming to immigrants and refugees; however, law enforcement policies vary from city to city and county to county.This page will list communities that have adopted policies that resist Trump’s mass deportation agenda and provide resources for adding your hometown to the list.
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DACA

DACA in Washington State

In an act of cruelty, the Trump Administration has sought to end the DACA program for non-citizen immigrants who came to this country as children. The action has thrown the lives and futures of 800,000 Dreamers and their families into disarray, and injected chaos and uncertainty into thousands of workplaces and communities across America.
 
In Washington alone, nearly 18,000 of our neighbors used their DACA status to give back to our country in innumerable ways: they are our doctors, soldiers, and students. Our neighbors, family, and friends.
 
While this is a hard time for the immigrant community and America as a whole, we will continue to fight. Years of courage, sacrifices, and organizing won the DACA program in 2012. Nothing will deter these Americans and our allies in Washington and across the country from continuing to fight on behalf of their futures, and the futures of all undocumented people.

We encourage everyone to join the fight to protect Dreamers. There are three actions you can take today to fight this injustice:

 

Pass the Dream Act of 2017. Urge Congress to pass a clean, bipartisan Dream Act immediately by signing this letter. Call your Senators and Representatives to demand support for DACA recipients.

  • Senator Maria Cantwell: (202) 224-3441
  • Senator Patty Murray: (202) 224-2621
  • Find your Representative and contact information here.

Show up. Check the People Power map regularly to find out about protests and rallies in your area. New events are added every week, so check back often.

Get the word out. For those whose DACA status will expire before March 5, 2018, it is critical that they renew their status. The deadline for renewal is October 5, 2017. Spread the word about Community Forums held by our partners WA Dream Coalition and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) happening this week across Washington on social media.”

Seattle & King County & the nine model policies

Jurisdictions that have passed Welcoming Cities legislation

Welcoming Cities, at a minimum, make a commitment to inclusion regardless of immigration status. Model policies prohibit local agencies from requesting immigration information, unless required by law. See, King County Ordinance 16692. These are jurisdictions that have enacted a resolution or ordinance as of 6/12/17.  

 
Some jurisdictions not on this list may have internal welcoming cities policies and are welcoming cities in practice, even if they haven’t enacted legislation.
Jurisdiction Resolution/Ordinance Link
Auburn Resolution 4345
Bainbridge Island Resolution 2017-09
Bellevue Resolution 7463
Bellingham Ordinance 2017-02-008, Resolution 2017-10
Bothell Resolution 1358 Not Available Online
Burien Ordinance 651
College Place Resolution No. 17-007 Not Available Online
Duvall Resolution AB17-26  Not Available Online
Edmonds Resolution 1381
Everett Resolution 5302
Kirkland  Ordinance (O-4558)
Kenmore Resolution 17-292 
Kent *
Lake Forest Park Resolution 1606
Lynnwood Resolution 2017-03 
Mulkiteo Resolution 2017-08
Olympia Resolution (M-1857) 
Pullman Resolution (R-45-17)
Redmond Resolution 1465
Renton *
Richland Proclamation of Welcome
San Juan County Ordiance 09-2017
Seattle Resolution 31730
Shoreline *Resolution 401
Spokane Ordinance C-35485
Spokane Valley Resolution 17-008
Tacoma Resolution 39116
Tukwila Resolution 1900
Yakima *
King *
Thurston *

Jurisdictions that do not honor ICE detainers

ICE detainers are requests by ICE asking a jail or corrections facility to hold a person after they have served their time in jail so that ICE can pick them up.  They are voluntary requests issued by ICE administrators and are not warrants issued by a judge.  There are court cases stating that jails and corrections facilities must have a judicial warrant in order to lawfully hold people beyond their jail sentence.
 
Seattle and King County have done a particularly good job making it clear that they will not honor ICE detainers, unless there is also a judicial warrant. See King County Ordinance 16692Seattle Ordinance 121063Executive Order 2016-08.  In its 2017 Welcoming City Resolution 31370, Seattle repeated the requirement for a judicial warrant. Despite recent statements by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, this requirement ensures that localities are in compliance with federal law and the constitution.
 
There are a variety of ways that jurisdictions handle ICE detainers, and we are still in the process of gathering and updating information on jurisdictions across the state as we learn more. If the police held you or someone you know for ICE, contact us.