Masked ICE agents reportedly arrest 3 on Seattle’s Aurora Avenue North

Seattle police responded to reports that armed, masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested three men Wednesday, pulling them into an unmarked van, on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle.

The arrests occurred at 10:15 a.m. at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, according to a police report. Arriving police officers said they encountered three men with guns who identified themselves as ICE agents. Citizens reported seeing them transfer three men from an unmarked white van to unmarked SUVs.

It’s not immediately known why those three men were arrested.

Mayor Katie Wilson was indignant in the face of the news.

I am furious at the federal government’s abuse of power,” she said in a message posted on X on Thursday afternoon. “It is unacceptable to kidnap people who are simply going about their lives.”

The incident reflects an escalation in federal immigration enforcement in Seattle and is among the most public incidents involving ICE agents in the city so far. Seattle has declared itself a “sanctuary city,” and its leaders have condemned armed immigration sweeps.

“There is no place for this in Seattle,” Wilson said, noting that the arrests “come on the heels of the murder” of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a civilian in Minneapolis killed by ICE agents Wednesday, sparking protests across the nation, including Seattle. She urged residents to lend their voices to protesting the federal incursions and told residents to sign up for the Washington for All ICE Mobilization Alert system.

In a news release Thursday morning, Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes — who has promised to keep Seattle citizens informed about aggressive federal immigration enforcement — said his officers “documented the interaction after speaking to supervisors,” but took no action.

Officers responded to a community complaint “about a possible armed abduction in North Seattle,” according to a news release from the Police Department. “The officers on the scene verified the individuals were there conducting federal law enforcement duties.”

“I want to emphasize what I have been sharing with concerned community members for months: The Seattle Police Department is here to keep people safe, regardless of anyone’s immigration status,” Barnes wrote. “The City of Seattle is a welcoming city and we abide by all State laws and regulations that prohibit the Seattle Police Department’s participation in immigration enforcement.

“We have no authority over federal agents, but we will document all incidents and protect the rights of all people in the city,” the chief said.

Wilson said she is working with Barnes, City Attorney Erika Evans, immigrant rights groups and other elected officials to bring “every possible legal argument, public resource and creative tool we can use to keep the people of Seattle safe. This will take all of us.”

“This is a scary situation,” the mayor said. “And situations like this are when we show ourselves who we are and what we believe. Here in Seattle, we practice solidarity.”

Video purporting to show the arrest was posted on social media showing masked men in flak vests and masks loading people into a van at a corner along Aurora Avenue just north of the cemetery.

The shooting in Minnesota, and the arrests in Seattle on the same day, sparked sharp rebuttals from members of the Seattle City Council.

Councilmember Bob Kettle, who chairs the city’s public safety committee, said Thursday in a statement that “I remain deeply disappointed in the lack of professionalism and standards shown by ICE agents — including wearing masks and face coverings. As a city we hold the Seattle Police Department to a high standard of accountability and expect the same level of discipline and standards from our federal public servants.”

“The federal government’s approach to public safety in all jurisdictions should prioritize the well-being of the people it serves, not jeopardize it,” Kettle said.

Councilmembers Eddie Lin, Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Dionne Foster were sharply critical of ICE and its tactics, be it here or in Minneapolis.

Lin, in a statement Thursday responding to the Minneapolis shooting, stated: “Let me be clear — ICE is not welcome in Seattle. We don’t want you here. As we see in Minneapolis, your lawless activity is not only threatening individuals and their families but the physical safety of all our residents.”

“Residents should feel safe to be out in our community, going to work, school, or visiting friends and family. But currently, constituents are sharing that they are too afraid to leave their homes. This is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Lin said.

Rinck said in another statement issued Thursday that government leaders and citizens “cannot stand by while the Trump regime erodes the foundations of our constitutional republic and kills people in our streets.”

In the same statement, Foster said Seattle officials will “continue to govern to protect you, we will continue to use our voices to speak out against these actions, and we will continue to work hand in hand with you to create actual safety. ICE does not belong here in Seattle or in any community.

Seattle police spokesperson Barbara DeLollis said body and dash camera video of the incident exists and is being prepared for later release.