BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A new resolution passed in Bellingham that seeks to establish the city as a “welcoming city,” stopping short of using the word “sanctuary.”

The resolution expands on an older resolution from 2017, that at the time was a way to assure immigrants in the community that they belonged here. That resolution stopped local officials from inquiring about citizenship status and assisting federal officials with civil immigration law violations.

The new resolution drafted by Councilmember Hannah Stone expands the language to give transgender people further protections on the local level.

Councilmembers Skip Williams and Lisa Anderson echoed each other in saying that the follow through is very important.

“This is the first step, but the next step is going to reflect what it is we do in a very conscious way to hold ourselves to these values,” Williams said.

Stone says that she didn’t want to use the term “sanctuary city” for a few reasons, namely that there was no legal definition for the term, among others:

“At this point in time, my concern is that, really, the term ‘sanctuary’ has been hijacked to mean other things by the federal administration and others,” Stone said. “Most of this, if not all, is focused on the safety and wanting to make sure that members of our community are safe.”

The 2025 resolution names steps the council has taken in the last eight years to provide a space that they say is welcoming to all.