TagImmigration Enforcement(4)

Port of Seattle Commission Order 2026-03, adopted February 24, 2026, restricts the use of Port property for civil immigration detention and enforcement support activities, such as vehicle staging or operational briefings. The order also directs the Port to expand 'Know Your Rights' training for workers and tenants at aviation and maritime facilities, with materials available in multiple languages. Additionally, it establishes employee response protocols and calls for coordination with regional partners including the City of Seattle and King County to promote transparency and consistency in community protection efforts.

In an April 2025 letter, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation reminded all DOT funding recipients — including state and local governments — that they must comply with federal anti-discrimination laws, including prohibitions on race- and sex-based preferences, and must cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The letter warns that programs or policies tied to 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' goals may violate federal law, and that issuing driver's licenses to undocumented individuals or otherwise impeding ICE could constitute noncompliance. Recipients who fail to meet these obligations risk losing federal transportation funding, facing audits, or having grant agreements terminated.

This December 2018 Port of Seattle Commission presentation outlines the Port's federal legislative priorities for 2019, covering port-wide, aviation, and maritime issues. Key priorities include advocating for welcoming immigration policies for local immigrants and refugees, as well as strategic trade engagement to ensure tariffs and quotas are used only as a last resort. The agenda was presented for Commission adoption with plans to engage Congress and the Administration to advance these goals.