Thread: WA-King County OKs 'don't ask' law on immigration

Originally published Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 12:06 AM

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King County OKs 'don't ask' law on immigration

King County will continue providing services to residents without regard to citizenship or immigration status, under an ordinance adopted Monday by a divided County Council.

By Keith Ervin

Proposal aims to remove barriers between immigrants, King County services

King County will continue providing services to residents without regard to citizenship or immigration status, under an ordinance adopted Monday by a divided County Council.

The council voted 5-4 for the law, which sponsor Larry Gossett said is intended to discourage racial profiling and "ratchet down the fear level" when people who are in the country illegally seek public-health services or deal with sheriff's deputies.

The law, which prohibits sheriff's deputies from asking about people's immigration status in most circumstances, continues current practices of the Sheriff's Office and Public Health — Seattle & King County, Gossett said. "The reason we wanted to codify it is in a few years there will be different members on the King County Council and a different executive."

The Metropolitan King County Council passed the ordinance after sheriff's spokesman John Urquhart said the county's "don't ask" policy has assisted law enforcement. "We could not do our job," he said, "if people were afraid to come to us as victims, as witnesses to crimes, if they were afraid that they were going to be deported over it."

Public Health Director David Fleming said, "Denying access to care because of citizenship status is not good medicine and is not cost-effective."

But council member Kathy Lambert said after voting against the ordinance, "We've been doing this since before 1992, so why do we have to put it in code?"

Lambert said she believes the county jails should investigate the citizenship of repeat offenders — something they don't now do.

Craig Keller, of Respect Washington, which advocates local enforcement of immigration laws, told the council, "If you pass this ordinance, you're throwing out a welcome mat to a greater population who are in the country illegally. ... The larger problem is the increasing population of illegal aliens and political corruption that comes with them."

The ordinance was supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, the King County Labor Council and other groups.

Voting in favor were Councilmembers Gossett, Dow Constantine, Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson and Larry Phillips. Lambert, Reagan Dunn, Jane Hague and Pete von Reichbauer voted no.

County Executive Kurt Triplett will sign the law, first proposed by his former boss, then-Executive Ron Sims, said Triplett spokeswoman Natasha Jones.

Keith Ervin: kervin@seattletimes.com

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... cation=rss

providing services to residents without regard to citizenship or immigration status,

What?

It's a good thing the tax payers of WA and America love paying for people that are taking American jobs, pay no taxes, soak up wefare and social services, won't learn english, are law breaking criminals, and dis-respect the American people and their country.

The illegals will find out, after the globalists enslave them, that there is no "free lunch" even though they have had one for a very long time.........

And this is why Seattle is turning into another LA, and will finacially go down the tubes like Calif.

You reap what you sow....and if Wa. residence are not speaking up they deserve what they get, higher crime, higher taxes and the destruction of their schools!

Voting in favor were Councilmembers Gossett, Dow Constantine, Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson and Larry Phillips

They all need to be sent to the unemployment line!

Major U.S. County Passes Illegal Alien Sanctuary Law


Last Updated: Fri, 11/13/2009 - 1:27pm

A major U.S. county that has long offered illegal immigrants sanctuary and taxpayer-financed services formalized its policy this week by passing a law that prohibits public agencies and employees from asking a person’s immigration status.

With a 5-4 vote, lawmakers in Washington’s King County approved the measure to officially make it an illegal immigrant sanctuary. The largely upscale Seattle-area county of about 2 million residents has long offered illegal aliens public services, including medical care at county-run clinics, and the sheriff’s department has a don’t-ask-don’t-tell immigration policy.

But lawmakers wanted bona fide legislation in the county books to prevent future administrations from violating the unwritten sanctuary policy. The councilman (Larry Gossett) who sponsored the sanctuary law said it’s intended to discourage racial profiling and “ratchet down the fear levelâ€

The largely upscale Seattle-area county of about 2 million residents

Obviously enjoy having cheap nannies, gardeners and employees who'll work for a substandard wage.