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Public commenters press Seattle City Council for permanent ban on ICE detention centers and to curb surveillance, AI expansion
Summary
Dozens of public commenters at the May 5 Seattle City Council meeting urged a permanent ban on ICE detention centers, called for cancellation of surveillance contracts (including Axon) and warned against expanding AI and AI data centers; speakers also demanded police accountability and more investment in social services.
Dozens of residents used the council's two-minute public comment period on May 5 to press Seattle's elected leaders for three interlocking actions: make the temporary moratorium on ICE detention centers permanent, end partnerships with surveillance vendors, and halt the city's expansion of AI and AI data centers.
The most recurring demand came from immigrant-rights and community organizers, who said the current one-year ban is insufficient and urged the council to adopt a permanent prohibition. Taylor Ligore, identified as an elected leader of the Seattle chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, told the council that neighborhood rapid-response teams and court-accompaniment volunteers are working to protect people from ICE activities and asked elected officials to match that work with policy: "I urge you…
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