Immigration activists form human chain at Seattle ICE offices

Protesters form a human chain outside the downtown offices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security in downtown Seattle. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka.)

Immigration activists formed a human chain Tuesday in front of Seattle’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in downtown Seattle to call for an end to local enforcement actions and deportations.

“Although Seattle and King County claim to be ‘sanctuaries’ for immigrants, the Seattle Police Department and the King County Sheriff actively collaborate on joint task forces with this branch of ICE leading to prosecutions and deportations,” organizers said on their Facebook event.

Immigration rights activists have been calling attention to the cooperation of local agencies with immigration offices, including the Department of Licensing, despite reassurances of policies barring unnecessary sharing of information with immigration authorities.

The state licensing agency shared personal driver’s license information with immigration authorities, which was discovered publicly after deportation proceedings began against prominent local activist Maru Mora-Villalpando.

Nine activists were arrested after participation in Tuesday morning’s protest, which included creating a human chain reinforced with handcuffs and PVC pipe that blocked 2nd Avenue for several hours. The activists were removed from the street and arrested after the Seattle Police Department dismantled some of the connections.

Several dozen supporters also demonstrated on the sidewalk, carrying signs that said “Chinga la migra” and “ICE lives here.”

More photos of the protest are here, and a few of the photos are republished below with permission.

A few dozen protesters also demonstrated on the sidewalk outside of the federal immigration offices in downtown Seattle. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka.)
A sign calls attention to offices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as the Department of Homeland Security and other federal immigration offices. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka.)
Nine were arrested the Seattle Police Department dismantled the connections between the human chain. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka.)
Seattle Police officers remove an activist from the street outside of federal immigration offices during a protest. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka.)