People.com Lifestyle Health Seattle Votes to Become a 'Sanctuary City' for Abortion Providers, Patients Seattle city council members voted unanimously to pass a bill prohibiting city police from conducting arrests or helping investigations from other states related to abortion bans By Vanessa Etienne Vanessa Etienne Twitter Vanessa Etienne is an Emerging Content Writer-Reporter for PEOPLE. Prior to joining in April 2021, she served as a reporter for Men's Health Magazine and BET Digital after freelancing for publications such as The New York Times and Everyday Health. Originally from northern Virginia, Vanessa is a proud Haitian American with a love for R&B music and mental health topics. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor's in Communication and Public Relations before earning her master's degree in Journalism from the City University of New York. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 27, 2022 10:46 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Ted S Warren/AP/Shutterstock Seattle, Washington is becoming a safe haven for abortion providers and those seeking abortion services. On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a bill prohibiting city police from arresting people on warrants issued in other states or assisting in investigations from other states related to abortion bans. The bill — proposed by Councilmember Kshama Sawant on the same day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion — would deem Seattle a "sanctuary city." "Laws violating basic bodily autonomy and criminalizing reproductive health care are fundamentally unjust and we should not allow Seattle to be complicit," Sawant said, praising the 5,500 local residents who signed a petition in support of her legislation, The Seattle Times reports. "Let anyone frightened by draconian anti-abortion laws come to Seattle without fear of prosecution." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ted S Warren/AP/Shutterstock Sawant told the outlet that she hopes that other cities follow Seattle's lead in protecting reproductive healthcare. "If bringing it here can help it spread to other cities and states, the impact could be truly profound," Sawant said, noting that Minneapolis and Chicago council members have reached out to her to discuss introducing similar bills. The legislation comes a month after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a joint "multi-state commitment" with California and Oregon to defend medical professionals and patients who are being pursued by authorities in states that have abortion bans. Abortion is legal in all three Democratic states. "The law remains unchanged in Washington state, but the threat to patient access and privacy has never been more dangerous. Even in Washington state, Republicans have introduced about 40 bills in the past six years to roll back abortion rights and access to reproductive care," Inslee said at the time. "The right of choice should not depend on which party holds the majority, but that's where we find ourselves." President Joe Biden Signs Executive Order to Protect Abortion Access "More than half the nation's population now lacks safe access to a medical procedure that only a patient and their doctor can and should make for themselves. Instead, law enforcement, vigilantes and judicial systems can force patients to bear the burdens of forced pregnancy and birth," he continued. "Washington state remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the ability and right of every patient who comes to our state in need of abortion care, and we will fight like hell to restore that right to patients all across the country." Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed two bills that would protect nationwide access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, in response to the overturn of Roe. This federal bill, the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act — which passed 223-205 — would protect a patient's right to travel across state lines for abortion services. Another bill, the Women's Health Protection Act — which passed 219-210 — would allow healthcare workers the right to provide abortion services and patients the right to obtain them, regardless of several state bans. Though both pieces of legislation were passed by the Democrat-led House, the bills are unlikely to pass the Republican-led Senate.