SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council unanimously voted to restrict federal immigration officials from accessing automated license plate reader and CCTV data and to amend when a 60-day pause on surveillance data collection can be triggered.
The council’s Public Safety Committee approved an ordinance March 24 that would limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents from accessing data, except in cases involving legal requirements such as a court order or warrant. The move amends updates city laws governing license plate reader and CCTV data, including the requirement a 60-day pause of CCTV data collection if the city or its vendor receives a warrant, subpoena or court order for Seattle CCTV data in a federal civil immigration enforcement matter, or if Seattle CCTV data is released pursuant to law for use in such a matter.
Under the changes, ICE would be restricted from accessing data from Seattle’s license plate readers. Additionally, the ordinance would allow city officials, including Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, to trigger the 60-day pause if data is accessed or a “credible risk” is detected…