A closely watched vote in Federal Way this week removed Councilmember Martin Moore from his role as council president after a majority of his colleagues concluded he improperly used the council president’s official social media account to share a flyer supporting student walkouts protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. The conflict, documented in reporting by the Spokesman‑Review, shows how national immigration concerns and local communication norms are increasingly intersecting in city governments across Washington.

According to that reporting, the council voted 4–3 on February 12 to rescind Moore’s January appointment as council president, replacing him with Councilmember Susan Honda. The removal followed days of public debate and a packed meeting in which dozens of residents—many of them students or parents—spoke in support of Moore’s decision to share the protest flyer. Supporters argued he was reflecting the concerns of young people who described fear and uncertainty surrounding ICE’s operations. Opponents contended that Moore’s use of the official council president page blurred personal advocacy and institutional representation, and that encouraging student walkouts could be interpreted as urging truancy.

Councilmember Linda Kochmar, who led the motion to remove Moore, said the issue was not Moore’s views on immigration enforcement but his conduct in using the council president’s platform in what she and others described as a partisan or advocacy‑driven way. Councilmembers Jack Walsh and Melissa Hamilton echoed concerns about conflating personal political activity with official city roles. Walsh stated that elected leaders “should not be encouraging minors to violate state law by being truant,” according to the Spokesman‑Review’s account.

Moore, who is an immigrant and naturalized U.S. citizen, maintained that his intent was to acknowledge students’ concerns and affirm their right to peacefully protest. At the meeting, he said some colleagues had politicized the situation and “weaponized” the controversy. He remains on the council despite losing the presiding role.

Additional reporting by the Federal Way Mirror provides further detail on the Facebook post, which expressed support for students’ First Amendment rights and encouraged them to protect their identities. The Mirror also documented heavy public turnout at the vote and strong disagreement among council members over whether Moore’s actions constituted improper partisanship or essential representation.

While Federal Way lies in King County, the underlying dispute—how local officials balance personal advocacy, community fears, and the limits of their official platforms—has clear relevance to Southwest Washington communities. City councils in Longview, Kelso, and across Cowlitz County face similar pressures as national issues increasingly shape expectations for how local leaders communicate online. The Federal Way case underscores how quickly social media activity can become a governance question, and how divided communities are over the proper boundaries of local leadership.

Sources:
Spokesman‑Review: Federal Way City Council ousts president after ICE protest post
Federal Way Mirror: Facebook post prompts FW City Council to pick new president