Washington lawmakers look to limit ICE tactics, including mask use
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photos: Scott Olson, Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
Washington state lawmakers are considering new limits on federal immigration agents, including proposals to ban them from wearing masks and restrict their access to schools and day cares.
The big picture: The debate in Washington's Legislature follows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting three men in north Seattle last week — reportedly while wearing masks — and an ICE agent fatally shooting Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
The latest: Gov. Bob Ferguson condemned ICE's recent actions during a speech on Tuesday, citing reports of masked agents "jumping out of unmarked cars and grabbing people from our streets."
- "It's horrific, it's unjust, and it needs to stop now," Ferguson said.
Zoom in: The proposed face mask ban would close "a major gap in current law" that allows immigration agents "to hide their identities" when making arrests, state Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) said during a public hearing Tuesday.
- The measure, Senate Bill 5855, would bar on-duty police officers and federal agents from wearing facial coverings while interacting with the public, with exceptions for undercover or SWAT operations.
- People could file a lawsuit if they are detained by an unlawfully masked officer.
- "I believe it will make our marginalized immigrant communities feel safer," said Valdez, the bill's prime sponsor.
A separate bill before Washington lawmakers would clarify that immigration enforcement officers can't enter non-public areas of day cares, schools, colleges and hospitals without a judicial warrant or court order.
- "We want people to go to school, work at a daycare, and go see a doctor without looking over their shoulder and wondering if ICE is going to come pick them up without a warrant," state Sen. Drew Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island), the bill's sponsor, said in a news release.
- ICE typically uses administrative warrants, which "are not subject to the same level of scrutiny as a judicial warrant," according to Hansen's press release.
A third proposal, backed by state Attorney General Nick Brown, would require employers to notify workers when federal agencies plan inspections or audits of I-9 employment eligibility forms.
- That way, workers "know when their workplace is being targeted, state Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D-Mukilteo) said at a recent news conference.
Between the lines: Washington lawmakers are weighing the proposals as a California law restricting officers from wearing masks is challenged in federal court.
- In its lawsuit, the Justice Department argues states don't have the authority to regulate federal officers.
- More broadly, federal officials have argued that ICE agents wear masks to protect themselves and their families from harassment and potential violence.
Between the lines: Senate Minority Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) said he thinks the state should "be enormously careful" when venturing into immigration issues.
- At a Seattle CityClub panel event last week, Braun said he wants to avoid situations where law enforcement officers have to choose whether to follow state or federal law.
What's next: Lawmakers are also considering another Ferguson-backed bill that would make it a crime for people to wear law enforcement insignia without being an officer.
- The measure follows a reported uptick in people impersonating ICE agents.