Today, Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1), released the following statement in support of the Mayor Katie Wilson’s announced actions to protect Seattle community members from the ongoing escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity nationwide. 

“I want to commend Mayor Wilson for her announcement today and for the direct actions she’s taking to protect Seattle community members from ICE. This is solid first step and I encourage my fellow Seattleites to stay engaged – there’s more to come from your elected city officials.

“As someone who was born in Minneapolis and who has deep personal ties to the city, it is incredibly difficult to watch the events unfolding there right now; my heart is with those struggling communities. What we’ve seen with this reckless escalation, is execution-style murders caught on camera.

“My office is actively monitoring state-level protections that are currently being considered during the current legislative session. These include HB 2173/SB 5855 regarding banning law enforcement masks, and HB 2105, which ensures workers are notified if ICE attempts to inspect company records. My office is also in close contact with the governor, the attorney general, and our state legislators to pursue every available legal avenue to protect our residents.“Seattle will not be a passive observer. We are prepared to join litigation and amicus briefs to send a unified message that the deployment of ICE to our city is unwelcome. Above all, we are working directly with our immigrant and refugee neighbors to ensure they know their rights and have the resources they need to stay safe. You belong here, and we will do everything in our power to protect you.”

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