Rantz: Mayor Harrell may ’embrace’ some Trump immigration policies, support deporting criminals

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said he was ready to “embrace” certain immigration policies under President-elect Donald Trump. He even implied that he supports targeted efforts by the federal government to sweep up criminal illegal immigrants for deportation.

Harrell told KIRO Newsradio Thursday he hasn’t seen any indication the Trump administration and border czar Tom Homan was planning any specific enforcement effort in Seattle. But he said his administration is working on ways “to be nimble, to react and adjust.” But he also said he wanted to “see certain activities coming out of the White House that we want to embrace.”

Additionally, while Harrell said he wanted “to make sure we’re protecting certain communities,” the mayor implied he was open to targeted enforcement against “criminals” in this country illegally.

“I’ll meet with the US Conference of Mayors,” Harrell explained. “There are many mayors dealing with the exact same issues… deportation, ICE raids, families being relocated. All of this stuff that can go into a very aggressive approach and not looking at individuals. No one wants criminals here. I mean, there’s no disagreement on that. We want to make sure that we are protecting everybody, but we need a calibration of policy.”

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Bruce Harrell embracing immigration enforcement is rare for a Democrat

Video pic.twitter.com/44NVvhOV6U

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) December 20, 2024

The Bruce Harrell interview indicates he supports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts against a specific category of illegal immigrants: criminals who commit crimes in addition to being in this country illegally. It’s a reasonable position that is shared by the majority of Americans. However, the activist base of the Democratic party does not hold that view.

Seattle Progressives take a blanket position that all illegal immigrants are deserving of equal protection from deportation; that an illegal immigrant with a clean record should be offered sanctuary in the same way as one who committed a rape or murder.

Harrell’s statements beg the question: for Seattle specific enforcement, will the mayor truly support limited and targeted ICE efforts? Or was it a statement he made for public support that would be walked by later by a spokesperson? He routinely tries to placate the activist base while also courting more reasonable Seattle voters. Walking that fine line has gotten the mayor in trouble in the past, especially around homelessness policies and on policing.

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Will Bruce Harrell follow through on his words about illegal immigration enforcement?

When asked if Mayor Bruce Harrell wanted to clarify his comments on illegal immigration enforcement, spokesperson Jamie Housen did not answer directly. He did say, however, the mayor would follow state and federal laws.

“Immigration law and enforcement is exclusively a federal matter,” Housen explained to “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “The city has and will continue to follow state and federal laws that govern local law enforcement interaction with the federal government.”

Housen included a link to the state sanctuary law. It’s true that immigration enforcement is a federal matter but the state’s sanctuary law helps illegal immigrants circumvent it. That law, however, is irrelevant when it comes to targeted raids, for example, in Seattle neighborhoods or at local businesses employing an illegal immigrant.

Incoming border czar Tom Homan has made it clear that ICE enforcement efforts will start “day one.” When the Trump administration prioritizes criminal illegal immigrants, ICE could be enforced in Seattle. Will the mayor stand by his words?

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