The effort is one among many that the city is taking to stave off the encroachment of the federal government.
SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signed two executive orders Wednesday morning, aiming to stave off what he can of President Donald Trump’s federal encroachments into American cities.
One order is specifically aimed at preparing for the possibility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ramps up activity in the Emerald City.
Among multiple other steps to be taken by city departments, Harrell said he has directed the city council to come up with an ordinance that bans law enforcement from wearing face masks, except in limited situations. Agents would also be required to display visible emblems and badges that identify their agency.
“We have all seen photos and videos of masked ICE agents literally kidnapping people from neighborhoods, from our streets and sidewalks with impunity,” Harrell said. “Masked agents operating without clear identification diminish transparency, they erode accountability, and they sow fear in our communities. They are waging a campaign based on fear, and also creating a dangerous possibility for other bad actors.”
When asked how he would enforce this, Harrell suggested that it is the Seattle Police Department’s responsibility to carry out city ordinances, but clarified that specific enforcement structures are to be worked out in the weeks to come. The Seattle Police Department will be trained on how they are to respond should they receive a 911 report that masked or unidentified individuals are detaining people within the city.
Should the ordinance pass, Seattle will become the first major city to enact such a ban. The state of California passed a law in September that bars local and federal law enforcement from concealing their faces with masks.
Harrell plans to propose another piece of legislation that would ban federal immigration employees from staging in city parking lots, or conducting their operations on city property.
Preparing for a potential National Guard deployment
Harrell signed a second executive order Wednesday morning that outlines how the city and its departments will respond if Trump deploys that National Guard to Seattle.
Trump has attempted to deploy the guard to Chicago and Portland, two other sanctuary cities that have pushed back on ICE. Harrell said he has no knowledge of concrete plans by the Trump administration to send the National Guard to Seattle, but it’s being treated as a real possibility.
The order Harrell signed directs the city to proactively evaluate and prepare all legal options to challenge a National Guard deployment in court, and resist any encroachments on the roles and jurisdictions of the Seattle Police Department.
It seems as if the city is also proactively planning to referee between protestors and federal agents, should the National Guard be deployed. Harrell said the city “reaffirms its unwavering support for first amendment activities (and) protests,” but that officials will work directly with organizers in efforts to minimize the potential for conflicts.
“We want people to use their voice, that is part of our power, but we also don’t want to, as some would say, take the bait,” Harrell said Wednesday. “We don’t want to see anyone in harm’s way when we can’t predict the abusive actions taken by our federal government.”