Seattle's new woke police chief has doubled down on refusing to enforce immigration laws, stating he supports “the rights of undocumented people." Washington is a so-called "sanctuary state," and Seattle is a "sanctuary city."
Police Chief Shon Barnes, who has only been on the job a few weeks, wrote in a statement obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, “In the wake of recent news and events, I want to address head-on any concerns or fears in our community regarding the Seattle Police Department’s position on the immigration status of our community members. Let me be very clear: the policies of the Seattle Police Department regarding immigration status will not change. SPD is governed by state law in this regard, and immigration law and enforcement is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government.”
He continued, “Throughout my career in policing and as your new Seattle Police Chief, I have unwaveringly supported the rights of undocumented people, who are vulnerable, too often victimized and exploited, and may not feel safe coming forward when they are victims of crime.”
“It remains the intent and commitment of the Seattle Police Department to foster trust and cooperation with all who live, work, and visit Seattle and to do all within our ability to preserve the safety and sanctity of our community," Barnes stated. “We continue to urge victims, witnesses, or anyone with information of criminal activity to engage with Seattle police officers without fear that they will be asked any questions regarding their immigration status. When people are afraid to report, crimes go unaddressed, communities become vulnerable, and more people are victimized. We cannot let that happen in Seattle,” Barnes added.
He concluded, “Seattle is a Welcoming City, and the Seattle Police will continue to serve all our communities with a commitment to equity and dignity.”
Last year, the anti-Second Amendment chief, following a school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, where he worked at the time, refused to release the identity or gender of the shooter, claiming that he was trying to protect the murderer’s family because they were "also someone's child."
The shooter’s manifesto revealed her to be a radical feminist who emulated other school shooters.
Democrat Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell appointed Barnes as SPD is operating with the lowest number of officers since the 1950s, following a mass exodus in the wake of the Seattle City Council voting to defund the department following the 2020 BLM and Antifa riots. Seattle is so far below the safe operating levels of officers recommended for a city of its size that 911 response times have jumped and crime has skyrocketed.
Despite campaigning on public safety, the mayor has been unable to fill most of the vacancies left by the departing officers. SPD officers who wished to remain anonymous told Hoffman that Barnes wouldn’t be able to stop the exodus and his appointment would likely discourage people from applying to the department.
