King County Council approves Welcoming King County motion to bolster immigrant protections

The King County Council passed a motion aimed at enhancing protections for immigrants and refugees amid federal immigration enforcement crackdowns. The “Welcoming King County” initiative, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda, Jorge L. Barón, and Rod Dembowski, commits to limiting local cooperation with federal authorities and increasing resources for immigrant communities. Councilmember Mosqueda stated the motion aims to protect residents from federal actions that create fear and violence. Among the outlined goals are creating a multilingual ‘Know Your Rights’ web hub and increasing deportation defense funding.

Councilmember Barón highlighted the urgency of the motion in response to rising federal enforcement. Although the initiative reinforces sanctuary-style policies, it cannot stop federal agents from operating locally. The motion sends a strong message of support to immigrant residents, potentially mitigating harm from federal policies. With one in four King County residents born outside the U. S.

, immigrants play a vital role in the county's economy and culture.