Stand Together: Let's Make Seattle a Welcoming City

This is your city. Everyone that lives, visits, or works here belongs here, and has a right to live with dignity and be safe in our city. City staff and police protect and serve everyone in the community. We promote policies and programs to foster inclusion for all residents and visitors regardless of their immigration or refugee status. Learn about How Seattle is a Welcoming City. 

City Policy on Immigration Enforcement

City employees, including police, do not enforce federal civil immigration laws and cannot ask about an individual’s immigration status.
The federal government bears sole responsibility to enforce civil immigration laws. The City does not act under federal direction even amid heightened enforcement activity.
City officers and employees are prohibited from asking about immigration status, unless otherwise required by law or by court order. See Chapter 4.18 of the Seattle Municipal Code.

Stand Together Initiative

The Stand Together Seattle Initiative invites private property owners to post notice stating that their property may not be accessed by federal agents without a warrant.
Download, print, and post a Stand Together Seattle sign at your business or home.
By Executive Order, the City of Seattle has posted signs prohibiting civil immigration enforcement staging on any city-owned and city-controlled property.
Property owners and leaseholders that use this signage do so at their own discretion and assume any legal risk associated herewith. The City cannot prevent ICE and federal immigration enforcement activity on private property. Do not attempt to hinder or obstruct federal enforcement activity.
The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs has compiled Know Your Rights Resources for immigrants, refugees, and advocates.

Important Phone Numbers

Mutual aid or community support – If you are seeking mutual aid or care, or want to share timely information regarding immigration needs, call or text WAISN’s deportation defense to report it: 1 (844) 724-3737 (Mon–Fri, 6 AM – 6 PM)
Emergencies – If you believe there is an immediate threat to someone’s life, call 911.
Non-Emergency Reporting – If you want to report a nuisance such as noise or parking, a non-emergency crime (one that did not just occur), or if you have questions about something occurring in your neighborhood and you are not sure it is criminal activity call (206) 625-5011.
Washington 211 – For health and human services referrals or resources, call Washington 211 at 1 (877) 211-9274. TTY for the deaf and hard of hearing and interpreter services are also available in 140+ languages.
988 Lifeline – To speak with a counselor if you are facing emotional distress, mental health struggles, or just need someone to talk to, call or text 988.

What is the role of Seattle Police Department and other Emergency Services?

The Seattle Police Department’s primary responsibility is the life and safety of everyone. If officers receive a 911 call, they will respond as available and will ensure the scene is safe for everyone present, then provide medical aid to any person(s) as soon as possible.

SPD policy explicitly states that employees will not inquire about any person’s citizenship or immigration status, request specific documents for the sole purpose of determining a person’s immigration status, or initiate, maintain, or participate in any police action based on an individual’s immigration status. 

If dispatched to a location where apparent immigration enforcement is underway, SPD officers will:

Document the activity with in-car and body-worn video
Attempt to contact the reporting party using Language Line interpreting services as needed
Validate the status of apparent federal law enforcement agents through official identification
Address related public safety concerns like traffic and crowd management
Provide or facilitate first aid, and;
Secure scenes of potentially unlawful acts to gather evidence for transmittal to prosecutors

Know Your Rights and Legal Resources

Know Your Rights Information:

Additional services for immigrants:

Immigrant Rapid Response Program
Create a family safety plan in case someone you know is detained by immigration enforcement or facing deportation.

Food and Basic Needs Resources

Need free medical care? Attend the Seattle Center King County Clinic from April 23-26.
Public benefits information for immigrants in WA.
Free In-Person and Virtual Tax Help with the Seattle Public Library.
Seattle Public Utilities Emergency Assistance Program.
Seattle and King County Emergency Food Resources Map.

Planning Protests (Free Speech Events)

The City Supports your First Amendment rights, including the right to express your views through Free Speech Events.
To plan Free Speech Event, organizers should apply for an application.
Organizers should also ensure they have an emergency safety plan in place.
SPD’s Police Outreach Engagement Team (POET) officers are present at demonstrations to support community members to safely and effectively exercise their rights to free speech and assembly.

Please note: While the City of Seattle strives to include links to external websites containing helpful information, we are not responsible for the accuracy of that information or the content of those websites. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the City of Seattle. Users are responsible for exercising their own discretion and diligence when visiting external links, calling external hotlines, or seeking legal advice. View the terms of use for interacting with digital content from the City of Seattle.