The Ocean Shores City Council is postponing its upcoming meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 10 to a later date according to a press release issued on Wednesday due to an expected larger than usual audience. City Council meetings are usually held at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

The Jan. 27 City Council meeting featured a highly charged public comment period during which many commentors spoke about the tactics of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents that have led to nationwide protests, and expressed their fears about the possibility of similar instances happening in Ocean Shores.

The City Council voted to hold a discussion about the possibility of Ocean Shores becoming a “sanctuary city.”

Newly minted City Councilor Curt Dooley took to Facebook to clarify what that council vote actually represents.

“The vote that occurred was procedural only. It was a vote to allow a future public discussion to take place,” Dooley wrote. “It was not a vote to declare Ocean Shores a sanctuary city, not a vote to oppose ICE, and not a vote to change city policy. No policy decision has been made.”

In August, the federal government published a list of sanctuary states, cities and counties. The state of Washington is a sanctuary state.

“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” said United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”

According to an article published by America’s Voice, “There’s no single definition of what is a sanctuary city, but generally speaking, it’s a city (or a county, or a state) that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents in order to protect low-priority immigrants from deportation, while still turning over those who have committed serious crimes. This is why we prefer the term ‘safe cities.’”

In April 2025, Jake Goldstein-Street of the Washington State Standard wrote, “The [state] law stops local police from helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement. For example, police can’t provide nonpublic personal information to federal authorities investigating civil immigration cases, and can’t interview or detain people solely based on questions about their immigration status.”

Many Ocean Shores residents have taken to social media to voice their opinions on the topic.

The city’s press release states that “the city of Ocean Shores and the Ocean Shores City Council appreciate the continued civic engagement demonstrated by our community. Your participation is a vital part of the local decision-making process, and we are committed to ensuring that all voices have the opportunity to be heard in a safe, secure, and accommodating environment.

“To provide adequate space and maintain the same level of accessibility, technology, and amenities expected for council meetings, the city and council have made the decision to reschedule the meeting originally set for February 10, 2026. In order to accommodate a significantly larger audience than typically anticipated, a new meeting date will be announced soon.

“We sincerely appreciate the community’s ongoing involvement and patience as we work diligently to secure a date that allows for efficient use of space, time, and resources while supporting meaningful public participation. Thank you for your continued commitment to the City of Ocean Shores. “