As local law enforcement agencies make statements about not assisting federal immigration enforcement efforts, the City of Bellingham has established a new temporary work group to review and ensure police and dispatch policies are in compliance with Washington’s laws around immigration.
In September 2024, the Bellingham City Council voted to establish a work group to advise the city on its compliance with the Keep Washington Working Act, or KWW, a 2019 state law that says a person’s immigration status alone is not a matter for local law enforcement action.
During a city council meeting on Monday, Jan. 27, Mayor Kim Lund appointed eight members to the work group. Lund said the group’s intention was to ensure members of the community who may not be U.S. citizens are protected under the law.
“We’re committed to ensuring Bellingham is a place where the rights and dignities of all residents are maintained and protected,” the mayor said. She added that the Bellingham Police Department takes no enforcement action solely based on immigration status.
The work group replaced the city’s Immigration Advisory Board, which was established in 2019 to evaluate policies and make recommendations to the mayor and city council on immigration matters. The city council halted the board’s meetings a year ago amid ongoing conflict between the board and the city.
The Immigration Advisory Board had recommended that the city ensure compliance with KWW, particularly in the dispatching of interagency responses that may include federal officers.
The new limited-term KWW work group is composed of people who have lived experience and connections to the immigrant community in Bellingham and people with experience in fields like interpretation, law and education. Public officials, including law enforcement officers and city legal counsel, will serve as non-voting advisory members.
The group is expected to begin meeting during the first quarter of 2025. The mayor said she “anticipates an important and timely dialogue” from the membership.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.
