Seattle Weighs Options After Judge Blocks Trump's 'Sanctuary Cities' Order

SEATTLE, WA - Shortly after a federal judge in California on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at punishing so-called "sanctuary cities," Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said that the city is weighing its legal options. Last month, Murray and City Attorney Pete Holmes announced that Seattle would sue Trump to stop the executive order, which the president signed on Jan. 25. A key part of the order deals with withholding federal grant money from cities that offer protections to undocumented immigrants.

“This court ruling preventing President Trump from punishing ‘sanctuary cities’ is yet another rebuke of his misguided agenda,” Murray said in a statement Tuesday. “Once again, a federal judge has blocked President Trump’s dangerous overreach. While we review this ruling’s impact on our city’s lawsuit against the president’s order, we will continue to embrace all our residents because we know Trump’s attacks on ‘sanctuary cities’ are attacks on constitutional cities.”

Seattle's suit argues that the federal federal government cannot goad local law enforcement agencies by threatening to withhold money; the city is also arguing that local law enforcement is protected from federal interference under the 10th Amendment.

Seattle identifies as a "welcoming city" and city employees, including police, do not inquire about immigration status. Other cities around Puget Sound offer similar protections. For example, Burien recently enacted a policy similar to Seattle's, but does not call itself a "sanctuary." Mayors of other so-called "sanctuary cities" argue that the term is too broad and has no legal application.

Seattle officials have said that the city could lose some $10.5 million federal in grants due to the executive order.

The private law firm Mayer Brown is suing on behalf of the city. Attorneys Andrew Pincus and Charles Rothfeld are working on the case pro-bono, Holmes has said.

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