Seattle Bars City Employees From Disclosing Information to ICE

New city law prohibits sharing nonpublic data without a warrant or subpoena, expanding on previous restrictions.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Seattle City Council has passed legislation that strips the city code of language encouraging cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and explicitly bars city employees across all agencies from disclosing nonpublic information to help immigration operations without being served a warrant or subpoena. The new law brings Seattle in line with state law and expands protections for personal information.

Why it matters

This move by Seattle is part of a broader effort by the city to limit the disclosure of private information that could aid federal immigration enforcement actions, which some city officials view as unconstitutional and unacceptable. The legislation builds on previous restrictions passed in 2003 and 2018 aimed at protecting immigrant communities.

The details

The new Seattle law strips the city code of language that previously encouraged city employees to "cooperate with, and not hinder" federal immigration enforcement. It now explicitly bars city workers across all agencies from disclosing nonpublic information to help immigration operations without a warrant or subpoena. While much city information is already public under state records laws, the legislation aims to further restrict the sharing of sensitive personal data like Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

  • The Seattle City Council passed the new law on Tuesday, February 19, 2026.
  • Previous restrictions on information sharing with immigration enforcement were passed in 2003 and 2018.

The players

Seattle City Council

The legislative body of the City of Seattle that passed the new law barring city employees from disclosing nonpublic information to federal immigration enforcement without a warrant or subpoena.

Maritza Rivera

A Seattle City Councilmember who stated that ICE officials are "acting unconstitutionally" and that the city should take whatever actions it can against their activities.

Jenny Durkan

The former mayor of Seattle who in 2018 directed city agencies to route all requests for information from immigration enforcement through her office.

Katie Wilson

The current mayor of Seattle who directed local police to document and report on any immigration operations in the city.

Alexis Mercedes Rinck

A Seattle City Councilmember who wants a moratorium on any new immigration detention centers in the city.

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What they’re saying

“I believe, colleagues, as I think we all believe, ICE officials are acting unconstitutionally, and what they are doing in our city and in other cities is simply unacceptable. Whatever actions we can take, we should be taking.”

— Maritza Rivera, Seattle City Councilmember (The Tribune)

What’s next

The new law will go into effect immediately, and city officials say they will continue to explore additional ways to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement actions they view as unconstitutional.

The takeaway

Seattle's latest move to restrict information sharing with immigration authorities reflects the city's ongoing efforts to protect immigrant communities and limit the reach of federal immigration enforcement, even as the legal boundaries around these issues remain contested.