Bill is another key component of Seattle’s effort to protect residents

Today the City Council passed Councilmember Bob Kettle’s (District 7) amended legislation that prohibits the use of City-owned or City-controlled properties for federal civil enforcement staging operations, commonly associated with federal law enforcement, specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill complements other actions taken by the Council and Mayor’s Office to push back against the federal government’s unprecedented escalation of detentions and deportations.  

Council Bill 121164 goes further than similar legislation that has been passed in other jurisdictions. It applies to city owned property, as well as properties that are leased by the City or leased to non-profit service providers that provide essential services to vulnerable populations. 

“We hear every week from our Seattle communities how scared residents are and I’ve repeatedly expressed since last summer how disturbed I am with ICE’s conduct in its operations. This conduct recklessly undermines our community safety work,” said Councilmember Kettle, who chairs the Public Safety Committee. “This Council is united against ICE’s cruel and unreasonable tactics. We’ve passed four pieces of legislation to date, and we will continue to explore every legal tool available to protect our diverse communities and ensure everyone feels safe here.” 

Background 

Councilmember Kettle’s bill follows a Jan. 29, 2026, directive from Mayor Katie Wilson, which tasked the Department of Finance and Administrative Services with creating clear signage for City properties to signal these restrictions. Seattle’s stance is bolstered by a similar executive order issued by King County in February.    

The move also aligns Seattle with a growing number of cities — including Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Spokane — that have implemented policies to restrict federal law enforcement access to local government facilities and mandate warrants for surveillance. 

Next steps  

The bill now goes to the Mayor for her signature. The legislation mandates that the City Attorney submit to the Mayor’s Office and Council a list of properties identified using the criteria in the legislation by May 1.  

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