Tom Homan said ICE operations would ramp up in sanctuary cities, like Seattle and Portland.
SEATTLE — President Donald Trump’s border czar signaled this week that Seattle could see increased immigration enforcement operations due to its sanctuary status.
Tom Homan spoke with reporters at the White House on Thursday, saying there would be a “ramp-up” of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in sanctuary cities, like Seattle, Portland, New York and Los Angeles.
“All these sanctuary cities refuse to work with ICE where we know public safety threats are being released, and to this day and especially those cities, we’re going to address that,” Homan said.
Under the Keep Washington Working Act, local law enforcement in Washington state is prevented from collecting a person’s immigration or citizenship status unless it pertains to a criminal law violation. It also prevents law enforcement from providing nonpublic personal information to federal immigration authorities in noncriminal matters, such as civil immigration proceedings.
The city of Seattle has a similar law where city employees can’t ask about immigration status. Police officers can but only if they have a reasonable suspicion of a felony criminal law violation or know the person was previously deported.
Homan said the administration would move immigration enforcement resources to sanctuary cities, calling them “problem areas.”
“That’s where we need to send the majority of the resources, and that’s where they’re going,” he said.
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has clashed with the Pacific Northwest over cooperation with ICE.
Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to Gov. Bob Ferguson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell threatening legal action if the jurisdictions didn’t cooperate with ICE. Ferguson said the state didn’t intend to change its approach.
