SEATTLE (January 25, 2017) – Mayor Ed Murray surrounded by City Council Members, Police Chiefs, and Civil rights activists issued the following statement after President Trump signed executive orders on immigration:
“Today is one of the worst days for immigrants in America since Japanese internment. Just days after hundreds of Seattleites volunteered to support more than 1,000 members of our immigrant community, President Trump sent a message back. He doesn’t respect our values and will exercise his power to threaten immigrants and our federal funding.
“I want to assure Seattle residents that while they are right to be alarmed about President Trump’s divisive vision, they should not be concerned that this City will be bullied into stepping away from its commitments and values. The City of Seattle will continue to protect the rights guaranteed to the City and its people by the United States Constitution and will challenge any unconstitutional policies that threaten the security of our communities.
“We are a nation of laws and we are committed to defending our residents, our values, and the Constitution in the court of law. We will not be intimidated.”
On the other hand, a press release issued by the King County’s Executive Office states, “The administration’s action against immigrants and refugees betrays the fundamental principle that has guided our nation since its inception: that we welcome people who come here fleeing tyranny, fleeing oppression, seeking a better life. We do not build walls. We demand that they be torn down. We do not ask people to show their papers when they report a crime or bring their sick child to a clinic. We do not push children and families into the shadows, and sow fear among our neighbors who may look or speak or pray differently than the majority.
King County proudly upholds the fundamental, self-evident truth announced at our nation’s founding: that all are created equal. We embrace the basic American value that we are a nation of opportunity for all. Immigrants and refugees are welcome here, and our region has acted decisively to become more inclusive, removing barriers to affordable housing, transit, and support to help children.
Now, in this toxic environment, we must do even more. We will offer even greater assistance to community partners providing legal services and immigration assistance. We will increase support and resources to those who can gain citizenship. We will work with local cities and other counties to establish stronger safeguards to protect undocumented immigrants and refugees.
Martin Luther King Jr. County is a place where everyone – regardless of where they started in life – has the opportunity to flourish. Today’s actions by the administration, and those actions we expect are to come, serve only to strengthen our resolve, and draw our community closer.”
