In a press conference Feb. 12, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced an executive order that he says will strengthen protections for local immigrants against federal immigration enforcement activities.
The executive order — No. 2026-1 — is the result of feedback Zahilay received from several January conversations with leaders in King County immigrant and refugee communities. The order takes effect immediately.
“Every resident who calls King County home, regardless of their citizenship status, deserves safety, dignity and to live without fear or intimidation,” Zahilay, an immigrant himself, said in a news release. “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. Entire communities are living in fear that they may never see their loved ones again, a direct effect of federal overreach.”
Zahilay said his executive order is to protect the rights of and maintain trust with residents, as well as ensure local organizations have the needed resources to help those impacted by federal immigration efforts.
Among other things, the order:
• Allocates $2 million in emergency funding.
• Gives the King County Sheriff’s Office 30 days to provide publicly available protocols for applicable 911 calls.
• Prohibits immigration officers from conducting enforcement in non-public areas of county-owned properties.
• Directs all King County departments to ensure alignment with the Keep Washington Working Act.
Malou Chávez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, is quoted in the news release saying: “We are grateful to the King County Executive and County Council for their many efforts to improve protections for and truly welcome all communities, including immigrant communities. In these difficult times, funding legal aid and food and rental assistance, and ensuring alignment against federal overreach, is critical.”
King County has already been urging Washington’s congressional delegates to stop giving funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Zahilay’s order says the county will continue to advocate for that.
The order also mentions the ongoing efforts of Welcoming King County, a motion passed by King County Council in July to strengthen the county’s commitment to not assisting in federal immigration enforcement.
