Language Access Program

Your Rights Under King County Code Chapter 2.15

Under King County Code Chapter 2.15:

• King County services may not be conditioned on citizenship or immigration status, except where required by state or federal law, regulation, directive, or court order (KCC 2.15.010.A, F).
  
  
• You may not be subjected to verbal abuse, coercion, or threats related to your national origin, English proficiency, or immigration status by King County employees, agents, or covered County contractors (KCC 2.15.010.F; 2.15.050.B.3).
  
  
• Questions about your citizenship, immigration status, national origin, or place of birth may only be asked when required by law or necessary for program eligibility or reimbursement. If such questions are asked, you must be clearly informed that you may decline to respond without fear of retaliation (KCC 2.15.010.E; 2.15.050.B.3).
  
  
• If you are limited English proficient, you may be entitled to free interpretation and translation services, as required by this chapter, when accessing County services or services provided by County contractors. Interpretation services must be provided through reasonable efforts, in a timely manner, and without unreasonable delay compared to services provided to English-proficient individuals (KCC 2.15.030.A).
  
  
• King County agencies must develop Language Assistance Plans identifying which vital documents and public communication materials must be translated into the County’s top six languages, based on the County’s tier map, and addressing translation of webpages, automated phone messages, and informational signage (KCC 2.15.030.B).
  
  
• King County employees and agents may not use County resources to facilitate civil immigration enforcement or participate in civil immigration enforcement operations, except where required by state or federal law, regulation, directive, or court order (KCC 2.15.010.I; 2.15.020.A).
  
  
• County contractors providing services under contract with King County are subject to similar limitations and may not use contract resources to facilitate civil immigration enforcement, except where required by law. Contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2026, must include these limitations (KCC 2.15.050).
  
  
• King County and covered County contractors may not permit federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas, records, or databases for purposes of civil immigration enforcement without a judicial criminal warrant, unless disclosure is otherwise required by law (KCC 2.15.020.B.3; 2.15.050.B.1).
  
  
• King County and covered County contractors may not disclose personal information for purposes of civil immigration enforcement, absent a judicial criminal warrant or a legal requirement to disclose (KCC 2.15.020.B.4; 2.15.050.B.2).
  
  
• The King County Sheriff’s Office may not stop, question, or investigate a person solely based on immigration status, race, or inability to speak or understand English, and may not use minor offenses as a pretext to inquire into immigration status (KCC 2.15.015).
  
  
• King County does not honor immigration detainer requests or administrative warrants unless accompanied by a judicial criminal warrant issued by a federal judge or magistrate (KCC 2.15.020.B.2).
  
  
• Nothing in this chapter prohibits King County or its contractors from sharing information about a person’s citizenship or immigration status when required under federal law, including 8 U.S.C. § 1373 (KCC 2.15.110; 2.15.050.A).
  
  
• If you have been injured or have sustained damages as a result of a violation of this chapter, you may file a complaint with the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice in accordance with King County Code (KCC 2.15.100).