SEATTLE—King County Executive Girmay Zahilay signed his first executive order since taking office earlier this year, directing $2 million in emergency funding toward immigrant and refugee communities and barring federal immigration agents (ICE) from staging enforcement operations in non-public county properties.
The move came in response to growing fears among residents over intensified federal immigration enforcement across the country, which has sparked protests and led to multiple deaths in recent weeks.
Zahilay drew from input gathered during four roundtable discussions he hosted in January across different parts of the county. Community leaders at those sessions described how families avoided schools, workplaces and medical appointments out of concern over potential deportations.
“Every resident who calls King County home, regardless of their citizenship status, deserves safety, dignity, and to live without fear or intimidation,” Zahilay said in a statement accompanying the order, which took effect immediately. “During my listening sessions, I’ve heard directly from immigrant and refugee neighbors who are afraid to leave their homes and go to school, work, medical appointments, and even report crimes to local law enforcement.”
The order allocated the emergency funds to cover rental assistance, food access and legal aid for those affected by the uptick in enforcement. It also instructed the King County Sheriff’s Office to develop and publicize protocols within 30 days for handling 911 calls related to immigration activities, including steps to verify the credentials of unmarked agents and guidelines on using body cameras during such encounters.
In addition, the directive prohibited immigration authorities from using non-public areas of county-owned buildings, parking lots, garages or vacant properties for civil enforcement operations. It required all county departments to promote “Know Your Rights” resources and review their policies for compliance with state laws like the Keep Washington Working Act and the Courts Open to All Act, as well as local codes.
At King County International Airport, known as Boeing Field, the order mandated upgrades to security cameras and observation areas to enhance transparency around chartered deportation flights, though Zahilay acknowledged federal limits prevented a full ban on such operations there. The measure also established a new Welcoming County subcabinet to advise on further supports and renewed the county’s push to congressional delegates against additional funding for ICE.
Nationwide, ICE operations expanded dramatically under the Trump 2.0 administration, with detention numbers reaching a record 73,000 people in January, an 84 percent jump from the previous year. Enforcement efforts included large-scale surges in cities like Minneapolis, where thousands of agents conducted arrests amid daily confrontations that resulted in at least two fatal shootings of civilians and the deaths of six others in custody last month.
In King County, no comparable large-scale ICE deployments has occurred, but local advocates pointed to persistent anxieties, particularly with Seattle set to host matches for the 2026 World Cup. Officials expressed concerns that federal agents involved in event security could blend enforcement activities, prompting preemptive measures. The county also joined efforts to block potential new detention facilities in the region.
King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said the county worked proactively to foster stability, praising Zahilay’s efforts.
“As the federal administration imposes chaos, violence, and fear across the country, in King County, we are working together proactively to create greater stability and safeguards for our own communities,” she said.
Fellow Councilman Jorge Baron echoed a similar sentiment, calling for ongoing measures against federal actions.
“It is critical that our county continue to evaluate and implement measures that seek to protect our communities,” Baron said. “We are continuing to look for ways to support our immigrant and refugee neighbors in the face of these unprecedented attacks from our federal government.”
Federal officials have pushed back against similar local restrictions to ICE activity. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed a similar executive order from Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson as “legally illiterate,” insisting that immigration enforcement remained a federal prerogative under the Constitution.
Wilson’s directive, which barred ICE from city properties and required police to document federal activities, drew refusal from the Seattle Police Officers Guild, which argued it conflicted with officers’ duties: “Toothless virtue signaling rhetoric like this has already cost two people their lives. The concept of pitting two armed law enforcement agencies against each other is ludicrous, and will not happen. I will not allow SPOG members to be used as political pawns.”
Author: Mario Lotmore
