WA sheriffs respond to Trump's immigration enforcement plans
President Donald Trump has identified state and local law enforcement agencies as being pivotal in his plans to deport millions of undocumented people from the U.S. But the extent of how his undertaking will play out on the ground remains unclear, especially in Washington and other “sanctuary states” that have local laws prohibiting such collaborations.
Washington’s “sanctuary law,” formally called the Keep Washington Working Act, restricts the extent to which local law enforcement agencies may participate in federal immigration enforcement actions. The law prohibits the use of county jails for immigrant detention and does not allow local law enforcement to interview or detain those suspected of being an undocumented immigrant.
In a survey conducted by InvestigateWest and Cascade PBS, the majority of Washington sheriffs said they would focus their resources on public safety and local laws, not federal immigration enforcement.
“We recognize that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and not a part of my elected office or sworn duty. Therefore, we focus our resources and efforts on local law enforcement matters just as we have always done,” Pacific County Sheriff Daniel C. Garcia wrote in a statement. “We will not detain or arrest individuals solely based on suspected immigration violations.”
https://www.cascadepbs.org/investigations/2025/02/wa-sheriffs-respond-trumps-immigration-enforcement-plans