I’ve heard from hundreds of you about what is happening with ICE and immigration enforcement in Washington state. Many of you have asked why enforcement now looks different than it did in years past.
For some background, federal immigration enforcement isn’t new. ICE has operated under Republican and Democratic presidents alike. What has changed are Washington state policies.
Washington’s sanctuary laws prohibit federal immigration officers from making arrests in places like jails and courthouses, controlled environments where enforcement can be carried out safely and with minimal risk to the public. As a result, enforcement is pushed out into neighborhoods and public spaces instead. That shift is not accidental; it is the direct result of decisions made by the state Legislature.
