By Alia Sinclair

The SeaTac City Council passed a resolution in Tuesday night’s (Feb. 24) council meeting affirming SeaTac as a welcoming city and providing policy direction to support community safety, dignity, and lawful city operations.

The resolution comes amid additional actions to protect the residents of SeaTac, particularly those who may be targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In the Feb. 10 council meeting, the council enacted a land use moratorium that prohibits the federal government from the creation of new or expansion of existing detention centers within the city of SeaTac, including ICE facilities.

The resolution passed Tuesday night was done in understanding that immigration enforcement activity can discourage residents from accessing essential services or participating in community life, which may erode community safety, public trust, and effective governance.

The resolution reads as follows:

A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of SeaTac affirming SeaTac as a welcoming city, recognizing the city’s racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity, and providing policy direction to support community safety, dignity, and lawful city operations.

WHEREAS, the City of SeaTac is home to residents representing a rich diversity of races, ethnicities, national origins, languages, cultures, faiths, family structures, and immigration statuses, and this diversity is a defining strength of the community; and 

WHEREAS, the City Council has long affirmed that all people who live, work, learn, worship, and seek services in SeaTac deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness, and to have access to City services without fear or discrimination; and 

WHEREAS, fear and uncertainty related to immigration enforcement activity— particularly when alleged or perceived to be unlawful—can have a chilling effect on community members’ willingness to access essential services, participate in civic life, or engage with public institutions; and WHEREAS, local governments play an important role in fostering safe, welcoming, and predictable public spaces, while also respecting the limits of municipal authority and complying with applicable state and federal law; and

WHEREAS, the City of SeaTac is committed to carrying out its responsibilities in a manner that supports community safety, institutional continuity, and lawful operations, while avoiding unnecessary harm to individuals or families; and 

WHEREAS, Washington State law affirms the role of local jurisdictions in focusing local resources on local responsibilities and in ensuring that public services are delivered equitably and without discrimination; and 

WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that clear policy direction supports consistent, lawful, and accountable implementation by City staff and provides transparency to the public regarding the City’s values and priorities; 

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATAC, WASHINGTON HEREBY RESOLVES as follows: 

Section 1. Affirmation of SeaTac as a Welcoming City The City Council affirms SeaTac as a welcoming city, defined by its rich racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity, and commits to fostering an inclusive community in which all residents and visitors are treated with dignity and respect. 

Section 2. Commitment to Equitable Access to City Services The City Council affirms that access to City programs, services, facilities, and civic participation should not be conditioned on immigration status, except where required by law, and that City operations should be carried out in a manner that promotes trust and reduces barriers to access. 

Section 3. Lawful Operations and Institutional Responsibility Nothing in this Resolution is intended to, nor shall it be interpreted to, direct City employees to violate state or federal law. Rather, this Resolution affirms the City’s commitment to operating within the scope of its lawful authority; establishing clear facility access rules and operational protocols; and ensuring staff are trained, supported, and prepared to carry out their duties lawfully and consistently. 

Section 4. Policy Direction to City Administration The City Council provides policy-level direction to the City Manager to take reasonable, lawful, and proportionate steps to support safe, dignified, and predictable public spaces; clarify staff roles, authority, and protocols related to facility access and interactions with enforcement agencies; protect the continuity of City operations and leadership; coordinate, where appropriate, with regional partners and community-based organizations; and communicate clearly and accessibly with the public during periods of heightened fear or uncertainty. 

Section 5. No Expansion of Enforcement Role This Resolution does not authorize City employees to engage in immigration enforcement activities, nor does it require City employees to collect or share information beyond what is required by law. 

Section 6. Transparency and Accountability The City Council expects that implementation of this policy direction will be guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and regular review, and may request updates from the City Manager as appropriate. 

Section 7. Compliance with the 2019 Keep Washington Working Act (KWW). The City Council affirms that all City actions shall be consistent with the Keep Washington Working Act, codified under RCW 10.93.160 and RCW 43.330.425, which limits state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement.

“The thing about a resolution,” said Councilmember James Lovell in his comments, “is it can sound hollow to some people. It’s not really a resolution though, until your resolve is tested. […] I’m really proud that we’re doing this. This is not hollow. This is full.”