As federal immigration authorities step up their roundup of Black and brown people they suspect of being undocumented, Washington should make sure local law enforcement agencies follow the state’s law designed to protect its immigrant residents and the state’s economy.
Based on recent media reports, immigration agents have accessed local law enforcement databases linked to the security surveillance company Flock Safety, and in some cases allegedly without the knowledge of local authorities. This is disturbing enough for state leaders to investigate and re-emphasize that local police, sheriff departments and the Washington State Patrol must know and follow the law.
The Keep Washington Working Act was passed in 2019. It prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies and school district security from providing information to federal immigration agents on civil immigration matters, or assisting in locating or detaining immigrants solely because they are without legal permission to be here.
Researchers at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights published a report that found the federal Homeland Security or Border Patrol agencies directly accessed databases in Renton, Auburn, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Mukilteo and other locations. Much of the data was captured by cameras posted throughout each community that either read license plates or capture images of vehicles.
In the six years since the law was passed, much has changed in the world of technology.
“We didn’t account for the new technology that would be available,” said state Sen. Lisa Wellman, the Mercer Island Democrat who sponsored the bill. She said the law is still relevant, but policies and procedures may need to be updated. ”We will be looking at whether there needs to be an update to what is necessary to align with the bill … We are disturbed at what has happened,” she said, in reference to the national policy on immigration enforcement.
What has happened is a 65% increase in such arrests nationally compared to this time last year. Of those arrested, about one-third had felony criminal records.
The Trump administration’s spending bill allotted $45 billion between now and 2029 to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement and add detention space, and $30 billion for ICE personnel.
The stated goal? Arrest at least 3,000 people a day.
Though the nation’s immigration system needs a major overhaul, current practices keep it where it’s been for decades — a political game of hot potato that’s played every four years.
Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office said the governor has met with the state attorney general’s office, representatives from Flock and community advocates, and the work is ongoing. The AG’s office said it is still looking at the matter.
Law enforcement often cites the need for more officers, especially since the pandemic. That’s all the more reason why the state should make sure agencies are focusing their resources on fighting crime, not on helping the federal government peek into their databases to implement improper and questionably legal tactics to investigate civil matters.
