Driver data used for immigration arrests, UW reveals
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photos: Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images, Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images and View Pictures/Hufton+Crow/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Washington state agencies have continued sharing driver data used in federal immigration arrests, despite state officials saying access had been cut, according to a new University of Washington civil rights report.
Why it matters: The findings add to growing evidence that Washington's surveillance and data systems have been accessed by federal agencies despite state laws meant to block that sharing — raising concerns that so-called "sanctuary" protections exist more on paper than in practice.
Driving the news: The report, released Thursday by the University of Washington Center for Human Rights, found that federal agencies queried Washington State Department of Licensing data nearly 2.7 million times between January and November 2025.
- Researchers confirmed at least nine immigration enforcement cases tied to those searches between August and mid-November, a small fraction of overall access, they said.
- In at least seven cases, immigration arrests followed license plate searches rather than criminal investigations, a distinction that matters under Washington law, center director Angelina Godoy said at a news conference Thursday.
The data was accessed through Nlets, a national law-enforcement data-sharing system administered in Washington by the State Patrol, which allows federal agencies to query state driver databases in near real-time using license plate numbers.
The other side: In a joint response to the report, Department of Licensing and State Patrol officials said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to Nlets was shut off in November and that thousands of attempted queries have since been denied, KING 5 reported.
- The state denied violating state law and said the systems are used for legitimate criminal investigations.
- The state also said it was reviewing U.S. Customs and Border Protection's use of Nlets and considering additional steps to protect residents while maintaining public safety.
Catch up quick: State officials said in August that they had blocked ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations unit — its deportation arm — from accessing Department of Licensing data through the system.
- But Godoy said Washington never pledged to cut off access for Customs and Border Protection or ICE's separate Homeland Security Investigations unit.
- Eight of the nine confirmed cases involved searches by Customs and Border Protection, according to the researchers.
The latest: Godoy said that because Customs and Border Protection conducted most of the documented searches, and because at least seven cases were corroborated as civil immigration arrests, "there is little reason to believe the practice has stopped."
What they're saying: "This is about civil immigration enforcement using state data in ways that violate Washington law and betray the public trust," said Hugo Garcia, a Burien City Council member.
- Garcia said the fear is already reshaping daily life for immigrant families — "fear that something as ordinary as driving to work, taking your kids to school, or picking up groceries could lead to detention or separation from your family."
Zoom out: The findings come as immigration enforcement tactics — including traffic stops and warrantless arrests — face renewed national scrutiny following a fatal shooting involving immigration agents in Minneapolis this week.
What's next: The report lands as lawmakers prepare to consider Senate Bill 6002, which would set statewide rules for automated license plate readers — including strict data-retention limits and a ban on their use for civil immigration enforcement.