The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a 2019 local executive order from King County, Washington, which sought to counter President Trump’s immigration policies. The order had attempted to block deportations from King County International Airport, also known as Boeing Field, disrupting federal immigration operations.
The court found that the county’s actions violated federal law, stating that the order unfairly targeted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) procedures. By restricting the use of Boeing Field for deportation flights, King County breached its agreement and obstructed federal processes, according to the ruling.
In response to the 2019 order, ICE was forced to reroute deportation flights to an airport in Yakima, Washington, significantly increasing travel time from its Northwest detention facility. The court’s decision underscores the legal limits of local efforts to counter federal immigration enforcement policies.
