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Home My WebLink About26-003 Amending Resolution No. 17-014 Reaffirming that the City of Port Townsend is a Welcoming City that Promotes Policies that Foster Inclusion for All, Reaffirming the City's Commitment to Serve all Resdients and Visitors, and Clarifying the...Resolution No. 26-003 Page I of 5 RESOLUTION NO.26-003 A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 17-014 REAFFIRMING THAT THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND IS A WELCOMING CITY THAT PROMOTES POLICIES THAT FOSTER INCLUSION FOR ALL, REAFFIRMING THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SERVE ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND CLARIFYING THE CITY'S POLICY RELATED TO NON-DISCRIMINATION IN THE PROVISION OF CITY SERVICES WHEREAS, the government of the City of Port Townsend is committed to supporting the Constitution of the United States and the State of Washington and where it is within the City's power to protect the rights of its residents and visitors; and, WHEREAS, the City Council has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to human and civil rights by enacting Resolution No. 17-014 on March 27, 2017 and Resolution No. 16- 054 on December 5, 2016, reaffirming its commitment to human and civil rights and recommitting to its policy that City staff will continue to serve all residents; and, WHEREAS, in 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed the Keep Washington Working Act with the purpose of "ensuring the state of Washington remains a place where the rights and dignity of all residents are maintained and protected in order to keep Washington working"; and, WHEREAS, Port Townsend strives to be a vibrant city and community that welcomes and serves residents and visitors regardless of age, citizenship status, color, familial status, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, physical and intellectual abilities, race, religion, religious observance, sex, sexual orientation, military service status, and source or level of income; and, WHEREAS, Washington State welcomes thousands of refugees each year and the City is proud of our state's commitment to human rights and human dignity; and, WHEREAS, immigrant and mixed -status families in Jefferson County continue to face systemic challenges in housing access, economic opportunity, and public participation, and the City affirms its responsibility to extend inclusion beyond non-discrimination into material and civic equity; WHEREAS, the recent increase in anti -immigrant and anti -refugee rhetoric and racist hate speech toward immigrant and refugee communities is alarming; and, WHEREAS, a study published by the Center for American Progress concluded that "communities are safer when law enforcement agencies do not become entangled in federal immigration enforcement efforts," and that "35.5 fewer crimes are committed per 1,000 people," Resolution No. 26-003 Page 2 of 5 and that when those communities "protect all their residents, they see significant economic gains 1 t; and, WHEREAS, in 2025, the City's Equity, Access, and Rights Advisory Board debated these amendments to Resolution No. 17-014 and developed draft language for consideration by the City Council; and, WHEREAS, the City is committed to continue building a welcoming, safe, and hate -free community where all immigrants and refugees are welcomed, accepted, and integrated; and to encourage business leaders, civic groups, community institutions, and residents to join in a community -wide effort to adopt policies and practices that promote integration, inclusion, and equity; and WHEREAS, The City has a long history of being a port of entry for immigrants and refugees seeking a better life and fleeing discrimination, violence, and strife; and, WHEREAS, the City is committed to recognizing the dignity and human rights of all its residents and visitors, including the right of all residents and visitors to be in a City where they are not subject to prejudicial treatment or discrimination; and, WHEREAS, the City recommits to its policy to continue building a city of inclusion and participation by all; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Port Townsend that Resolution No. 17-014 is amended as follows (underlines are additions and strikethroughs are deletions): The City Council reaffirms its commitment to human and civil rights and equality for all of its residents and visitors, regardless of age, citizenship status, color, familial status, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, physical and intellectual abilities, race, religion, religious observance, sex, sexual orientation, military service status, and source or level of income. Within available resources, City staff will take the following actions. A. The Port Townsend Police Department (PTPD) will not detain or arrest a person based on their immigration or citizenship status unless pursuant to a federal criminal warrant issued by a federal judge or magistrate. Consistent with Port Townsend Resolution 09-025, PTPD Policy Manual Section 409.7, and PTPD Policy Manual Section 412, the Police Department will not comply with, or assist in the execution of, administrative warrants issued by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agencies of the ' The Effects of Sanctuary Policies on Crime and the Economy, Tom K. Wong, Center for American Progress, January 26, 2017, �:r�rtr)last accessed on March 12, 2026. Resolution No. 26-003 Page 3 of 5 Department of Homeland Security regardless of whether they are specifically delivered to the Police Department or entered into the National Crime Information Database. A]. The Citv reaftinns that no resident shall be mfierl-cd to or re,orted to fbderal itnmig[qfion authorifies.cLgn go psi civJilent,70i iiiieiit,,,Qi[,inyAY(Iigrnoii,-criminaI interaction witli City staff or law enforcement unless directed by a rt couorder judicial warrant. Local trust and public s,.L (ty dep-qnd pnAgg q -�g�iop between 1111111iCiDal functions and imini,ration enforcenient. B. The City requests that the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office adopt written policies and procedures consistent with Section A above. The City further requests that the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office adopt a policy that it will not provide ICE or CBP agents with information regarding release dates of individuals detained in the Jefferson County jail, that informs all detainees of their right to refuse interviews with ICE and CBP agents, and honors this right for detainees who decline such interviews. C. The Port Townsend Police Department is focused on the safety and security of all our residents and visitors regardless of immigration status. The City will not enter into any agreement with the federal government that would allow or require employees, including the Police Department, to act as de facto immigration officers pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1101, Sec. 287(g) or to enforce any civil provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. D. Because the City wants to encourage witnesses and victims of crime to report and assist in solving crimes, it will focus its limited law enforcement resources on criminal investigations rather than civil immigration law violations. Except as required by law, City employees, including employees of the Police Department, will not request information pertaining to immigration status or any protected class from any person seeking City services, or seeking to use City facilities, or during any other interaction with the City. No employee of the City will make any record of any person's immigration or any other protected class status except as expressly required by federal law. City Departments will review their procedures to ensure that they only collect information that is necessary to perform City functions or to provide services, and that this information is not used for any other purpose unless required by law. E. The City supports comprehensive federal immigration reform that creates a pathway to citizenship for undocumented persons, including students who arrived in the U.S. as children under the iiitroduced Dream Act of 2025. F. City staff will continue to not tolerate harassment or intimidation of users of its facilities or services by other users or by City staff. Where appropriate, staff will refer such matters to the Police Department for investigation. The Police Department shall work with the community to ensure that City residents and visitors are protected under state and local malicious harassment laws and understand these protections. It shall proactively identify persons and Resolution No. 26-003 Page 4 of 5 groups who are likely targets for hate crimes to help them form prevention and response networks. It shall provide victim assistance where possible. It will investigate and refer hate crimes for prosecution to the City or County prosecutor where appropriate or will assist the victim in reporting the incident to the State Human Rights Commission. (City Personnel Policies 2.2 (Equal Opportunity); 2.5 (Anti -Harassment); Port Townsend Police Department Policy Manual Section 318, (Training, prevention, investigation, and reporting of hate crimes)). G. City staff will continue to assist residents and visitors who believe they have been discriminated against in the sale, rental, or financing of land to be used for housing in reporting instances of violations of state and federal laws related to housing to the Washington Human Rights Commission, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or other appropriate agency. (Resolutions 94-11 IA and 08-044). When considering entering into or renewing interlocal or mutual aid agreements, City staff will request that the agreement contain language consistent with this Resolution. _ 've of all residents re�dlewss G1. The City affirms that access to housingmust be inclus>„mmmmm� �,,�, of imnmi ,ratamon or documentation mmstatus. Rental alll�la_catr�tm re triremnc►ItsITsuch s Socj l �aecumity Numbers U S based credit histories, orotherformalwdocumentation may serve as structural and r� i cd-' wrll wcark � . barriers for it rr rat.... statUs hOLls holds. The Qjjy_� rtl ��mcal r� ovidgrs.to amoglote inclusive eligibilityALrti( bites -that do not result in the exclusion of undocumented resi&iits or their families, H. When appropriate, City staff will revise City documents and websites that refer to "citizens" to instead refer to "residents". Hlw.w Inw addition to revising tan„guage from "citizens" to "residents," the City will ensure that essential communications itic I wmhousingreso�m es, am�cl p m lae rr1g4irl amiounm enients a e translated hitowwthe ,rinlac s iana L1ges lj()kemi l °_irllmi�ri gt�� .... conrrrautztarties. lrrtcr mr tatro_ra walim be mra rdc Cry ail rib _ at ublic mgt!JII RS wile rlcyer_feasi� ible gpd thmm City will work toward imtc rcasir , larlimr re,r rIT m al achy i s—pub i�,�lirci� � rs�lcs, incl�mclin staff fluorin trAjnictg _amintcrpretation suppart I. The City Manager will ensure City staff are trained on these policies. :l The City ac;knowicdges that ecopornic inclusion includes access to affordable and cmmlterra]wlyITrelevant retail .ttmcltrsmm tar irrrr igm4ntmresidents ingst;_travel outside ofJefferson County to access ba is gods and culturally s ecific food which increases ex osure to irram�nmrgration emrlcrrcctaaent and places farnmltITes at risk. The City,will review zoaa ng,�permgrtting, atid cicvCIO Ili lient oli�ies tc, identify acid remove barriers to coca .affordable and....cultr.rrally _. inclusive retailmandIT-grocery access.. 1 l►m ITC"its corrrr pits to inclu it imnu�igEarat residents and inunigr nt-led oagatmr�atic�ns inthedevelo m� ent and review of City p9jicjcs that impact public safety, horrsin economic Le apd coninlPnrty engagement, Where r)ossiblc,wll rttc MtiLo i sLii-ril be u � orted: Resolution No. 26-003 Page 5 of 5 011rot!gh Ltq�i , (-,, a Lnn services, translated.�iti ends or com. ensation fm-time and - labor. L. :[hq_Qjy IqMnizes that migrant residents face system.ic.barriers to _many.imm Lt--Y trail fin ancial mancial stability barriers are conipounded b q _ I,g&j status and exclusion from federal jj)LtZm c )rntnits to considering-im,mi rInt Li Lt�i -yeloplIeLilt chi dcarc acccss,-k�,jqspprtatiojj _I In economic dc 1 . I'Linding, kcisions,,.and to..address the cut'nulative finimos,of-excl.usion. ADOPTED by the City Council of Port Townsend, Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, held this 16'h day of March, 2026. in Flw, r, a Y r +�)�r d I Or Attest., . . . . . ................. ............ ............ Alyss, U s Ci, 11, erk