King County Council approves Welcoming King County motion to bolster immigrant protections
The King County Council passed the "Welcoming King County" motion aimed at enhancing protections for immigrants and refugees. This initiative, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda, Jorge L. Barón, and Rod Dembowski, seeks to limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement amid escalating crackdowns. Key policy goals include increasing staffing in the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice and creating a multilingual 'Know Your Rights' web hub. Councilmember Mosqueda emphasized the need to protect residents from federal actions that instill fear.
Community organizations praised the motion, with Guillermo Zazueta of OneAmerica affirming its supportive message for immigrant neighbors. Despite reinforcing sanctuary-style policies, the motion cannot prevent federal agents from operating locally. Its impact lies in removing local cooperation from immigration enforcement and fostering community resilience. With one in four residents born outside the U. S.
, the motion underscores the vital role of immigrants in King County's social fabric.