Wyandotte County, KS Immigration Policy: Sanctuary Policy Preemption (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- Ord. No. O-19-22, Feb. 22, 2022
- Amended
- Ord. No. O-77-22, June 9, 2022
- Covers
- All unified government departments
- Police stance
- KCKPD does not enforce immigration law
- ID misuse penalty
- Class A/B misdemeanor
- Governing sections
- Code §§ 18-162—18-168
Summary
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas bars its departments from denying services based on immigration status and directs the KCK Police Department not to enforce federal immigration law as part of its mission, so residents can report crimes and seek city services without a status check.
(a)Unless required by federal or state statute, regulation, or court decision, no department, agency, commission, officer, or employee of the unified government shall:(1)Discriminate based on non-citizen status or immigration status. Unified government employees will serve all residents and unified government services will be accessible to all residents regardless of non-citizen status or immigration status.(2)Require individuals to provide specific immigration identification, rather unified government employees shall accept any valid photo identification that provides the person's name and photo... (a)Kansas City, Kansas Police Department ("KCKPD").(1)KCKPD shall use its resources and authority to protect the public in Kansas City, Kansas, including residents without immigration status. It is not the mission of the KCKPD to enforce federal immigration law.(2)KCKPD will seek to ensure that all persons who request the assistance of KCKPD feel safe asking the KCKPD for help, reporting crimes, and aiding investigations.(3)KCKPD will not publicly disclose information about an individual's national origin, citizenship, or immigration status except as required by law.
Full Breakdown
Ordinance No. ' Section 18-163(a) tells every unified government department, agency, commission, officer and employee that, unless federal or state law requires otherwise, they may not discriminate based on non-citizen or immigration status, must accept any valid photo ID rather than demanding specific immigration paperwork (with I-9 forms and driver's license rules carved out), and must keep every government service, benefit and opportunity open to residents regardless of status. ' Officers are directed to make sure people who call KCKPD for help, to report a crime, or to aid an investigation feel safe doing so, and the department may not publicly disclose a person's national origin, citizenship or immigration status except as required by law.
The article also created an optional 'community ID card,' issued by a contracted nonprofit administrator to any Wyandotte County resident regardless of citizenship status, valid for identifying residents to unified government offices. None of this stops KCKPD from assisting judicial warrants or criminal investigations, and Section 18-168 clarifies the article never authorizes violating federal or state law.
Violations & Fines
Sections 18-163 and 18-164 are policy directives binding unified government departments and employees rather than criminal statutes aimed at the public; Section 18-167 makes the exclusive remedy for a department's noncompliance the unified government's own internal disciplinary procedures, not a private lawsuit or a citation. Misusing a community ID card, by contrast, is separately punishable as a class A or B nonperson misdemeanor under Section 18-165.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the KCK Police Department enforce federal immigration law?
Can a Wyandotte County resident be denied city services over immigration status?
What ID can someone use to access unified government services?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wyandotte County
Compare Wyandotte County to another location·View the Kansas immigration policy overview
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