Good morning everybody.
Thanks for being here.
So, just for logistics, I'm going to say a few words
about what we're doing this morning with our executive orders.
We have two that we're going to execute.
And I'll say a few words and then I'll pass it off to our director,
Hamdi Mohammed, who will sort of serve as Mc and
and introduced, after she speaks, our other speakers.
And we're delighted to have so many council members
here, like the leaders here, community leaders,
representing representatives of people
whose lives are directly affected by some of the craziness we're dealing with.
And so let me dive into our executive order.
So, as have we seen in Portland and now in Chicago, President Trump
is unilaterally ramping up his military occupation of American cities.
He's even going as far as circumventing a court order from a judge
that he appointed by attempting to send another state's
National Guard to what they're quoting is war ravaged cities
completely usurping local and state authority.
This demonstrates to at least me and I think to me, to my friend
standing with me, that he is showing no respect for the rule of law.
He's making dangerous statements about American cities being,
quote unquote, training grounds for the military.
This should cause all of us pause and concern.
We cannot normalize this extreme action.
This is not normal behavior.
It's not rational behavior,
particularly coming from the highest office in our country.
And here we stand firmly against the militarized ization
of our communities, the militarization here in Seattle of this approach.
We cannot be underprepared by any stretch of the imagination
at this critical moment when Trump is escalating his attacks on cities and
carrying out what we believe is a cruel deportation agenda,
and he's doing it with
massed UN uniformed officers.
That's why we are here today, to sign two executive orders that are focused
on protecting our local authority, our values, and increasing
transparency in immigration enforcement actions.
So the first executive order I'm signing today is focused on the preparedness
and coordination
in the event of unilateral deployment of the National Guard to our city.
So basically what the first executive order will do.
It will
proactively evaluate and prepare all available
legal options, ensuring readiness of a legal challenge
in the event of an unlawful troop deployment.
We are ready to fight in court.
We have been, successful.
We monitor what's happening
in other cities and other states, and we want to be ready.
We will prevent the unlawful encroachment on the roles and jurisdictions
of SB Seattle Police Department by the federal government.
Simply put,
our police department will know exactly what they should do and should not do,
and in no way will they enable this
abuse of power from the federal government.
We will establish a coordinated,
Seattle Resilience Task Force,
which will establish clear lines of communication with governor
Bob Ferguson, the Attorney general, Nick Brown's office,
a city attorney's office, and, of course, our community.
That's going to be critical to be able to be nimble, efficient and effective
in our communications and get accurate information at a real time basis.
Fourth, this will reaffirm
our unwavering support for First Amendment activities,
protests, opposition and direct the city to work with organizers
to keep protests peaceful and minimize the potential for conflict.
We want people to use their voice.
That is part of our power.
We also don't want to some someone say, take the bait.
We don't want to see anyone get in harm's way.
When we can't predict some of these abusive actions taken
by our federal government.
Now, we don't know when or if Trump
will send a social media post that is targeting Seattle next.
We monitor these communications, but these actions that I described
in the first executive order will ensure that our city is prepared and resilient.
If he does.
And we stand united in solidarity in this approach
and will do everything possible to protect our neighbors and our families.
The second executive order.
I'm signing today is focused on strengthening services
for our immigrant and refugee communities, and increasing transparency
and accountability around federal immigration enforcement.
Now, as we've shared many times before.
Immigrants and refugees are part of the fabric of Seattle.
What I like to say, part of our vibe, part part of our rhythm, part of our family.
We are proud to a city where over 140,000
residents were were born in a different country.
Literally proud of that.
And we've all seen photos and videos
of masked Ice agents literally kidnaping people from neighborhoods,
from our streets and sidewalks with impunity,
masked agents operating without clear identification, diminished transparency.
They erode accountability, and they sow fear in our communities.
They're waging a campaign based on fear and also creating
a dangerous possibility for other bad actors.
So the second executive order that I will
execute will develop, in order an ordinance
with in conjunction with the city Council to ban
the use of face masks by law enforcement,
with limited exceptions in the city of Seattle.
And we will require all law enforcement officials to have visible emblems
and badges that identify their agency.
This legislation puts Seattle on track to be the first major
city in the country to adopt a ban mask on federal officers.
Secondly.
We will provide the Seattle the the the Seattle Police Department
will have clear guidance to its members on how to respond to 911 calls
where masked or unidentified individuals are detaining people in the city.
We want our officers to be fully trained on exactly what to do and try to leave.
To the extent possible.
Little ambiguity in what should be done.
Third, we are proposing an ordinance
that would make it clear that city property will not be used
by federal immigration authorities to stage four operation,
or to conduct those operations to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Now, this is clearly intended to prevent ICE from using parking lots
and similar spaces for staging or,
as it appears, has been done in other cities like Chicago.
So in closing my remarks,
and we're very proud that our Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is
meeting the urgency of this moment in our communities.
Earlier this week, they hosted their first one, Seattle
Community Resource Fair, with more planned in the coming months.
And I was very honored to be invited to that event.
And I would say, by all standards, it was a remarkable success.
Of course, our proposed 2026 budget significantly increased,
the Office of Immigrant Refugee Affairs by nearly 70%.
So they can continue to provide legal services.
Don't tell you how the department heads we did that or just keep that a secret,
but they have to continue the work to provide legal services
and workforce development.
Know your rights, training and other resources.
And with that,
I present to you
our director of the office of Immigrant Refugee Affairs, Hamdi Mohamed.
Thank you.
- Good morning everyone.
My name is Hamdi Mohamed, and it's such an honor to be the director
of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
I want to begin today by thanking the advocates
who are in this room and the advocates in our community
and our community leaders, those who are leading our immigrant refugee
organizations, who continue to express fear
and the needs of our community with both courage and clarity.
I know that the mayor listens deeply
to their voices and takes them seriously.
I've been in the rooms where we have had roundtable discussions
with our local organizations and leaders.
With his legal background, Mayor Harrell, and steadfast leadership,
he continues to use every tool in Seattle's toolbox
to protect our residents, to uphold Seattle's values.
And I thank him for it.
And I also thank the city council members who are here today
who also do that work in partnership with him.
I want to
acknowledge that the city of Seattle consistently
and proactively, has been responding over the last few years to ensure that we are
prepared for moments like this, from the anticipation
of the threats of migrants being bussed to Seattle from Texas.
The city has stood together firmly and has coordinated.
And to make sure that federal actions are not dividing
and intimidating our city, that Seattle remains united,
principled and grounded.
Look, immigrants and refugees are not outsiders to Seattle.
We heard that from Mayor Harrell.
They are our neighbors.
They are the small businesses that help our economy thrive.
They are essential workers.
I would say they are the heart of this,
of Seattle's growth and resilience.
At the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, our focus in the days
ahead will be to focus on these four key areas one
to coordinate with local advocates and community organizations,
and to keep working, on making
sure what we are doing is rooted and uplifting.
The the lived experience of those in our community, ensuring that we do
everything we can, help protect them, and responding to emerging needs.
Two it will be working across all city departments
so that our actions remain aligned,
coordinated, and that we do it in a way that is compassionate.
Three we'll continue to expand community education
and know your rights initiatives in multiple languages so that every family
knows where to turn when they need protection,
and that they know what the existing laws are.
When people feel empowered and they know their rights.
They can then continue to participate in our community.
And we want to continue to to see that.
Lastly, we'll continue to build trust and transparency
to ensure that our immigrant and refugee communities continue to see Seattle
as a true welcoming city.
Seattle will continue to lead with heart
coordination and courage
and will stand firm for dignity, safety
and justice for all of the people who call this beautiful city home.
I thank you all for being here today.
And now I have the honor of introducing one America's
Executive Director, Roxana Norouzi.
- Thank you so much.
First Mayor Harrell for your leadership and Director
Mohamed, for all you've done to bring our community together.
And, bring these executive orders into, our city.
My name is Roxana Norouzi.
I'm the executive director of One America.
For those of you who don't know, One America is an immigrant power building
organization working to create a thriving home
for immigrant and refugees here in Washington state.
And I want to start with a little bit of my own stake in this.
My own family escaped an authoritarian government in the late
1970s to seek safety and freedom in the US.
We left our homeland of Iran because anyone who opposed
the government was being locked up, tortured and killed
under Donald Trump.
Many of us whose families immigrated to the US
recognize these same signs of authoritarianism as we did back home,
except this time, it's in the country
that we have sought for freedom and protection.
And that's why we've built One America into a movement
and organizing home for immigrants to uphold our democracy and the promise
of safety, security and freedom that so many of us sacrificed so much for.
And that promise of security is currently under threat
for all of us, no matter where we were born.
Each day, our communities are forced to make difficult decisions
in their daily lives simply taking their kids to school,
going to the doctor's office, or driving to work
become high stakes decisions around immigration
and are faced with the decision of whether they will ever see their families again.
However,
over the last few months, the Trump administration has progressed
from a needless and cruel war on immigrants
to a full out war on democracy itself, where
all of our constitutional rights are at risk.
They're trying to build out a sprawling national military and police force
intended to be accountable only to the president,
not to the people.
But Washington is our home, not a military target.
And let us be very clear.
The deployment of the National Guard is federal overreach
for an emergency that simply does not exist.
This is not public safety.
This is an attack on everyday people
and on the soul of our country.
And we see these tactics for what they are an effort to sow fear,
silence, opposition and attack the cities who welcome and celebrate immigrants.
Cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and DC.
However,
even as these city cities have been demonized by the Trump
administration, we've also seen incredible
acts of bravery and solidarity.
We've learned the importance of being organized and standing
shoulder to shoulder, as we are today with community organizations,
faith groups, labor unions, local and state governments,
and elected officials to say, hands off our neighbors.
Immigrants are welcome in Washington.
We will not be bullied or threatened, and we certainly will not comply in advance.
These executive orders send a clear message
that we will use our full power to stand up and protect our communities,
ensuring the Seattle Police Department and the city cannot
and will not participate in federal civil immigration enforcement.
Creating task force across departments who will meet
with and coordinate responses with community organizations
like White America, and writing new laws and directives to meet this moment.
To ensure that our local law enforcement prioritizes the safety and First Amendment
rights of our residents and community members.
We know we are strong and we stand together.
That's why our elected leaders and city government does its work.
And in communities,
so do we want America and a coalition of dozens of organizations
across the state have been preparing for the potential deployment of federal
guards in Washington and escalated Ice raids.
If federal troops get sent to our state, this network of community
based organizations will be ready
to respond to protect our communities and our democracy.
We will ensure families know their rights and how to access social legal services.
We'll create spaces for communities to come together and stand in solidarity.
And we will say loud and clear in a unified voice
that Seattle and Washington, everyone deserves to thrive
no matter where you were born or what language you speak.
Now, the Trump administration's one goal in all of this
is to consolidate power by spreading fear and division.
Partnering today with the leadership of the City of Seattle,
we show that we not only reject this false vision of a divided country,
but also that together we can build a city as vibrant and thriving
because of immigrants communities and together, in partnership
as community organizations and elected leaders, we will be ready
to protect our communities because we all deserve to be
safe and secure in our city.
- Thank you, Roxana, for those remarks.
Now, I have the honor of introducing the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project's
executive Director, Malou Chávez.
- But today, today's a special day.
Not not just for immigrant communities, but for all of us.
Because really, this impacts all of us.
What we're seeing across the country, what we're seeing,
in our neighboring states and the attacks on our immigrant communities.
My name is Malou Chávez.
I am proud to serve as executive director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
My colleagues at NIRP, day to day,
day after day, walk alongside our immigrant communities in Washington
state, providing direct legal services and helping educate our client communities
about their constitutional rights and the immigration benefits that the U.S.
law provides.
So we are hearing stories.
We get to witness the experiences that our client communities
are having as a result of these attacks.
When we speak with them, when we show up in court,
when we go to their interview hearings,
when they walk through our door, we're hearing their stories.
And so I'm here on behalf of our colleagues
to speak on the challenges that our communities are experiencing.
We know that the federal government's stated goal
is of mass detention and mass deportation,
and this
is supported by a discretionary budget
that we saw in early July,
and also by changes in law
we had not seen in more than three decades.
Today is a special day, because the city of Seattle
and its leadership is standing strong in its commitment
and using its power to ensure that resources are used to protect
against federal overreach and to safeguard
our constitutional protections and freedoms.
I'm thankful for the partnerships we have with the City of Seattle,
its many departments, including our Office of Immigrant
Refugee Affairs, for listening to us, for listening to our community partners,
and for listening to our City of Seattle residents,
for taking action, for standing up and standing strong
against injustices and attacks that immigrant communities
are facing at the hands of the federal administration.
Mayor Harrell
City Council and various city departments.
We are so thankful for your partnership.
Your taking action means that our immigrant communities
are welcome, that they are not alone and that they will be safe.
But we know that safety does not come
at the expense of others safety,
and that we as immigrant rights advocates, are also not alone
in defending the rights of our communities against the erosion
of fundamental rights and protections, and against a blatant disregard
of the rule of law and including due process.
Thank you.
Our communities are counting on your leadership to continue
to protect all of us because, again, we're all impacted.
Thank you.
- Thank you so much, Malou, for your words.
Now, I would like to introduce, Seattle Indivisible board member Kathleen.
We'll say a few words.
- Thank you, Mayor Harrell and Director Mohammed.
And thank you for to everyone standing here today.
Seattle indivisible is proud, to join this effort, because our city must remain
a place where no one lives in fear for who they are or where they come from.
When federal agencies act outside the bounds of law
or humanity, we have a duty to draw a line and defend our neighbors.
This executive order and proposed ordinances are statements
of principle that Seattle will not collaborate with cruelty.
It will not give legitimacy to rates.
It tear families apart,
and it will not stand silent while human rights are violated in our streets.
We know that words alone will not stop an armored vehicle or a deportation order,
but solidarity spoken clearly and lived out daily still matters.
It tells every person being targeted that they are not alone,
and it tells every official planning escalation that we are watching,
organizing and will not yield.
Our resolve is simple.
Whatever comes Seattle Indivisible will stand with our immigrant
and refugee neighbors and all being targeted by the federal government.
Seattle will not be intimidated into abandoning its values.
Thank you.
- Okay, we're
going to sign it and then we'll come back for any questions.
So let's, sign the executive orders first.
I just wanna make sure not blocking anyone
else not come in.
Coming up
close. Photo ops here..
We're here on three, one, two, three.
They’re signed. Woo!
- You get a pen.
- Before I entertain any questions, I want to thank the Honorable
Sharon Tomiko Santos for joining us here to get the state's permits perspective.
And we know this issue is near
and dear to you, so thank you very much for being here. Sharon.
Okay. With that, we'd be more than happy to take any questions.
Yes, ma'am.
- How do you think, Your order?
- Yeah, it sort of addresses it head on.
Number one.
If you look at the legal definition of insurrection and
it doesn't, we don't believe any of the activities
in Seattle meet that definition.
So we think from a judicial standpoint, we're on solid footing.
One thing we have been doing consistently,
we're building the case, always building the case.
So when we start talking about crime down, certain rates going down, safety up,
it builds a case that this is not the type of fact situation
that warrants the, imposition of the Insurrection Insurrection Act.
And so again, you look back at other historical activities in this country.
We don't have that here in Seattle.
And so at a previous press conference when we said we don't need you here.
That was part of the continued record,
or we don't think that the Insurrection Act applies here.
And I'm going to ask
or call on anyone else who wants to add any other comments to this.
I just want to
- Thank you, mayor.
Deputy Mayor Greg Wong, had a federal response, for the mayor's
office and Mayor Herrell, well, Mayor Harrell is absolutely correct.
It just does not apply here.
But I think that what's also equally important is that we're giving directive
to how our local police department, Seattle Police Department,
shouldn't interact, or not interact
with federal troops, whether they're the National Guard or other,
federal forces, regardless of the basis for them being called up.
So, all of the, contents of the order will apply equally.
- Thanks, Erica.
how you try to force things like the last,
and, like the provision of local police
was, you know, right.
-So,
once again, we'll sort of have to cross that bridge when we come.
I think as the executive of the city, we have a lot of,
powers to executive
to enforce our local ordinances.
I think our police department has to make sure our local ordinances
are complied with.
So in our enforcement scheme, again, that's one reason why there's
a component of it directing our Seattle Police Department to make it very clear,
when I use the word the lack of ambiguity in what their to do.
So some of the enforcement mechanisms will be developed
here in a matter of weeks, not days.
We actually have
have drafts that we're working on now to make sure
the enforcement pieces are effective.
And we do recognize that, again,
typically this is a little atypical for the city
officials to have to be in odds with the federal government in historical terms.
But we realize that's the
that's the
the hand that we're dealt dealing with the Trump administration.
I come here and I come here, Chris,
- You look outside right now.
There's not much going on.
Are you aware of anything in that, or are you worried at all
that you're kind of poking the bear here?
- Good question.
No, I'm not worried about poking the bear.
What? I'm
determined to do is to protect our communities.
And I can't let the emotion of worry get in the way.
So we are very strategic.
We were very intentional.
But we have to be strong and united.
I think that one thing we the behavior we recognize from the White House
and particularly particularly the P resident Trump,
is they're erratic and they try to use
fear as a strategic advantage.
When I say don't take the bait, I can't take the bait.
So what we do is we have to be smarter
and strategic, and we have to know the law and we have to comply with the law.
So worry is not the emotion that I'm faced with.
I'm faced with hope and faith with my colleagues.
And I have strong people on the team, so it's not so much worry.
But make no mistake about this,
this is serious stuff.
And I do recognize the gravity of the issue.
Yes, sir.
- Mayor, I guess this morning a white House adviser said that the president
has plenary
authority or to do these actions.
What do you say to that response?
- I'd say that under the law, I disagree that if you look at the Supremacy Clause
in the Constitution
and you look at the prohibitions around that,
this does not give the federal government absolute power.
In fact, they're safeguards that both states and cities
have to protect themselves from this kind of federal overreach
that particular clause has built in safeguards as well.
So we think that once again, they are misaligned and violative
of the law and that our executive order will be compliant
with the law as our lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Okay.
Seeing, just I see, yes, another bite
at the apple.
I'll come back to this.
I'll come back. I'll come back to you. Go ahead.
- President Trump today said that the mayor of Chicago
should be arrested and so should be, I think, the governor.
What do you make of those comments in the context of what you're doing here today?
- So I don't think Brandon Johnson should be arrested.
I think that the letter that,
you know, that he received, that I received from the U.S.
Attorney General, Pam Bondi, threatening criminal liability against him
and against me, that these are serious concerns.
It's not something I look forward to getting a letter like that once again.
As an attorney, I think we are on solid legal grounds and they are not.
So rather than, again, to use the crisis
term, worry rather than worry, we do this and we do this.
So again, we think the law is on our side.
The facts are on our side, the data is on our side
and we are on solid footing.
And we are confident that.
We'll protect our immigrant refugee communities.
Yes, sir.
- So the administration is actively trying to recruit
SPD officers, have any left.
Let's see what else.
What does that do to the safety?
Sure.
Recruitment efforts.
- I'll answer it in,
the Mariners of so hot right now.
A press conference is not going to go complete without one sports metaphor.
So I'm going to tell you that right now, I'm
just trying to find the right opportunity, so I'll use it.
You're I'll use my answer in this sense that in college
athletics, coaches are always trying to recruit.
And with the Nil rules they can create with different tactics.
And it's usually money.
When we're recruiting good police officers, they're recruiting Ice agents.
We are better recruiters.
We are a better team.
We are on the right side of history.
Our win record is stronger than theirs.
So he's trying to recruit, and I don't know specifically
if we've lost in the officers to that or retirements.
So sometimes say they're retiring.
But we are stronger recruiters.
And that's part of my job as executive.
That's part of the the the chief's jobs.
That's part of the city council's job as part of our,
city employees job, to recruit part of our city family of employees,
first and foremost are city employees, as we all are.
So we have a better recruiting strategy and will recruit the right players,
and we will win. - Will SPD aid.
And, the arrest and detainment of any,
criminal aliens that.
- I'm sorry, I didn't hear the question.
I just heard the word aliens.
- Will they help out if they need the help, if they're in isolation,
where they need the help?
Well, S.P.D. help them out. Yeah.
And detaining or arresting any criminal aliens
wanted with their detainers.
Any of that criminal records?
- No. Our under the Keep Washington Working Act and the state code,
our police officers in all jurisdictions, including S.P.D.,
are not cooperating with Ice immigration that is solely in the jurisdiction
of the federal government, not local authorities cooperating. Yes.
- Yeah.
If you take a closer look.
- So first, I'd say I think that's a little we of a hypothetical.
What we're doing here is clearly giving a directive that we,
expect the officers to follow the law and how they should do so.
So that's one of the things in this executive order is ensuring
that there is accountability and clear expectations for officers.
And to the earlier question about who we recruit,
we're we're trying to recruit the right people.
Somebody wants to go be an ICE agent
because they want to take part in Trump's agenda.
That's not the kind of person that we need on our force anyways,
so we don't expect that that will happen.
But if they do, then they then we are obligated under,
our agreements and our, labor agreements
to follow certain processes and follow certain laws that call for accountability.
And so we will make sure
that those accountability procedures and ordinances are followed.
But we expect all officers to comply with these orders and
with the law at all times.
- She may have a question.
- Well, let's be clear.
I kept using the word unambiguous,
trying to make sure that our officers know what to do.
These are our officers are required to make split second decisions,
but they're also, required to be in their command structure.
And so in order to avoid
unnecessary conflict or
fisticuffs or whatever you want to call it conflict out there,
we are asking our police department to make it crystal clear
what's to happen if, in fact, an immigration action is taken.
We know that the law is clear that they are not to cooperate,
but we want to go through fact patterns and situations.
And that's exactly what I'm directing them to do.
In Washington, confront federal troops, a federal agency.
Yeah.
I don't think you heard the word confront and not from my mouth.
And you didn't see it in executive order.
So we're not asking for that kind of confrontation.
- Now, if an ICE agent has if his life is in danger,
if he needs the help of an SPD officer, they're just going to sit back
and let him deal with it.
And possibly lose his life.
- Okay, so let's keep going on a roll of hypotheticals here.
So now you're proposing a situation where an ICE agent is injured
- And in fisticuffs or in some kind of conflict with a criminal.
- So let's be clear
that just based on historical practices, Ice agents don't work alone.
They are with other Ice agents.
So my assumption at this point would be that they have the protocols in place,
direct orders in place on what they are to do if one goes down and one injured.
That is not our role to make that determination.
Now that is their role.
Should they take an action on what they should do,
should they fall or get injured, that is their responsibility.
And then of course, that is a risk.
They take, particularly when they're coming in a jurisdiction
that they where they’re not wanted. - Why we're not talking about oh excuse,
we're talking about a call for help, a call for help from, from from an ice agent
and any kind of federal agents that, are on the scene, a call for help.
Are you are your police department not going to respond? - So,
to my knowledge, an Ice agent
in duty has never made a 911 call to a local jurisdiction.
So I don't know what will happen
in this and present situation, but I'll be more than happy to give you
an answer offline because again, these are hypothetical situations.
My guess would be they're not going to stop their ICE enforcement and call 911.
And we've seen no fact patterns in the country where that has occurred.
So I don't anticipate that occurring here.
But I will, work with our 901 dispatch center
to to have an answer on what will happen if an ICE agent actually calls 911.
But again, that's unprecedented.
And also and probably unlikely.
Yes, sir.
- I was wondering, is that to what degree are you brainstorming with other.
Cities facing these
issues? - Absolutely.
So I think, you know, I have leadership positions
with the African-American Mayors Association and the U.S.
Conference of Mayors.
And I have friends,
who are mayors all over the country.
And we look at what they do and they look at what we do.
And so I am I do talk to them on occasion when, I think it was just last weekend
when Mayor Keith Wilson in Portland, had an unprecedented situation.
He and I talked two times early that morning, to brainstorm.
So there will continue to be a brainstorming,
process by which we can help one another.
I will gladly share our executive orders with other cities.
That's what we do.
That's how mayors work together.
And we'll continue to do that, work together.
Okay, well, we've addressed real life situations.
We address hypotheticals.
I want to thank all of the speakers for coming here.
I want to thank the City council for being here. I counted you down.
There's only four, so we're good. We didn't have a quorum here.
And most importantly, I want to thank the community
based organizations and Hamdi for your strong leadership.
I could have had.
We could not have.
I had to write the best person, the right person, the right time at this moment.
So thank you, community and thank press.
Thank all of you for being here. Onward.
And for one Seattle.
Thank you.