Last month, North Bend and Snoqualmie issued a joint statement responding to community concerns about federal immigration enforcement. The City of Snoqualmie has since released a separate Public Safety Statement outlining its practices. Below is the full statement, followed by responses to additional questions about the guidance.
Public Safety Statement from the City of Snoqualmie
Commitment
The City of Snoqualmie is committed to transparency, public safety, and ensuring that all residents feel safe accessing City services and public spaces.
Public Safety and When to Call for Help
Public safety services in Snoqualmie are available to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Residents should continue to call 911 whenever they observe or experience a situation involving an immediate threat to life, safety, or property. Calling 911 connects residents to local dispatch and local emergency responders—not immigration authorities.
The Snoqualmie Police Department responds to calls for service to protect public safety and uphold the law. Consistent with Washington’s Keep Washington Working Act and department policy, Snoqualmie officers do not ask about immigration status and do not take enforcement action based on a person’s immigration status. Emergency and police responders do not assist with civil immigration enforcement. The City and its emergency responders are committed to protecting public safety while respecting the constitutional rights of all individuals, including the right to peaceful protest.
Guidance for City Staff
City staff play an essential role in maintaining public trust and provide services professionally and without regard to immigration status. City employees are not authorized to assist with civil immigration enforcement activities and do not request or record immigration status in the course of their work unless required by law.
City staff are instructed not to provide access to City facilities, records, or resources beyond what is legally required. Any request for City-held records or information is handled through required legal review and processes, including court orders where applicable. If City staff encounter situations involving federal immigration authorities or receive inquiries related to immigration enforcement, staff are instructed to refer the matter to their department director or the City Administrator for appropriate handling.
Use of Surveillance Technology
The City of Snoqualmie does not use technology for immigration enforcement purposes or to identify or target individuals based on immigration status and does not use Flock Safety cameras or Flock technology. If the City considers automated reader technology in the future, its use would be subject to public review, City policy, Washington law, and applicable privacy protections.
Ongoing Commitment
The City will continue to review its practices and communications to ensure they align with state law, public safety priorities, and our shared values as a community. Our goal is clarity, consistency, and confidence—so that everyone who lives, works, or visits Snoqualmie knows they can safely engage with local government and emergency services.
Living Snoqualmie asked the City several follow-up questions to provide additional context:
Question: After the earlier joint statement issued with North Bend in January, what prompted Snoqualmie to release a separate, more detailed statement now?
Answer: On February 9, 2026, a group of Snoqualmie Valley residents addressed the Snoqualmie City Council during public comment and raised several specific questions regarding immigration enforcement, emergency response, City staff guidance, and the use of City resources. The following day, Chief Horejsi, Mayor Miller, and Mayor Mayhew issued a joint statement focused primarily on law enforcement posture and compliance with Washington’s Keep Washington Working Act.
Question: What additional clarity or reassurance did the City feel residents still needed following that earlier joint message?
Answer: Additional questions remained regarding other public safety services, City staff conduct, records handling, and surveillance technology. This subsequent statement addresses those remaining topics in a more comprehensive and consolidated way.
Question: Were there ongoing community questions or concerns that led the City to further outline policies regarding immigration enforcement and public safety services?
Answer: The additional detail clarifies City practices and ensures that residents understand how public safety and emergency services operate, how City staff are directed to respond, and how City resources and information are handled. It reflects the City’s commitment to transparency and to responding to concerns raised by residents.
Mayor James Mayhew added, “Residents raised thoughtful questions during public comment, and we wanted to make sure those questions were addressed clearly and directly. This statement builds on the earlier police-focused message by providing additional clarity about public safety services, staff guidance, and how City resources are handled.”
