Seattle mayor may sue Trump over immigration information

SEATTLE – Seattle Mayor Ed Murray wants to know exactly what President Donald Trump has planned for cities like Seattle that vow to resist federal immigration enforcement actions.

Murray, in his annual state of the city address delivered Tuesday from a local mosque, said Seattle was filing public records requests with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies seeking information about the Trump administration’s definition of “sanctuary cities” and what “enforcement actions the federal government may take against us.”

Seattle has vowed to protect immigrants and refugees and to not help federal authorities. Murray has instructed city departments to rework budgets to prepare for the possibility that federal dollars could be lost if Trump cuts aid.

The Trump administration, in documents released Tuesday, detailed how it was expanding the number of people living in the U.S. illegally who are considered a priority for deportation, including people arrested for traffic violations.

Murray said he also wants information about changes to federal travel and immigration policy, including a program designed to protect people brought as children to the U.S. illegally.

“We believe that the rule of law is on our side, and we will take legal action if the federal government does not answer our requests in a timely manner,” Murray said.

And Murray said he would convene a summit of mayors in the region to explore ways they can be welcoming places “for all.”