The U.S. Department of Justice has formally designated Washington state and the city of Seattle as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” citing policies it says hinder federal immigration enforcement.
The designation, announced Thursday, places Washington among 13 states — including California, Oregon, and New York — that federal officials say have laws or practices that obstruct cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Seattle is one of 18 cities on the list, which also includes New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.
According to the DOJ, sanctuary jurisdictions are identified through a review of local and state laws, ordinances, and executive directives.
Officials said the designations will be reviewed regularly, with jurisdictions added or removed based on whether policies change.
Each jurisdiction will have an opportunity to respond.
KIRO 7 News has reached out to the offices of Gov. Bob Ferguson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell for comment.
Mayor Bruce Harrell sent KIRO 7 News the following statement:
Once again, the Trump Administration continues to target ‘sanctuary cities’ and perpetuate a narrative about our communities and laws that are furthest from the truth. Immigration enforcement is the exclusive responsibility of the federal government. The City neither interferes with nor carries out those federal duties.
We have received and are reviewing the latest letter from Attorney General Bondi and strongly disagree with its assertions. Our laws and policies protect the safety, privacy and constitutional rights of all Seattle residents while remaining compliant with applicable law.
We remain committed to our local values, including being a welcoming city for all. We will continue to defend our residents and our rights — and we will not hesitate to do so in court.
The department outlined characteristics of sanctuary jurisdictions, which can include:
- Declaring sanctuary status publicly.
- Restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
- Limiting the sharing of detainee immigration status information.
- Prohibiting the use of local funds to support federal immigration enforcement.
- Refusing to honor ICE detainer requests without a judge’s warrant.
- Limiting ICE access to jails without detainee consent.
- Operating immigrant affairs offices to advise undocumented residents.
- Providing access to benefit programs for undocumented immigrants, such as housing aid, legal services, or healthcare.
In a letter sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the DOJ said cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies is “vital to enforce federal law and protect national security” and argued that sanctuary policies “undermined this necessary cooperation.”
The letter also cited an executive order signed in April 2025 by President Donald Trump directing the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to identify sanctuary jurisdictions and explore ways to attach immigration-related conditions to federal funding.
“Any sanctuary jurisdiction that continues to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens can either come to the table or see us in court,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
The Justice Department said jurisdictions that remain on the list could face “additional consequences and further agency actions as permitted by law,” including potential funding impacts.
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