Washington state won't roll back its law limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, despite the Trump administration's threats to criminally charge state and local officials who follow it, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday.

The big picture: Ferguson's public statement came in response to a letter he received last week from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, telling him to submit a plan by Tuesday to end Washington's so-called "sanctuary" policy.

Catch up quick: The state law, called the Keep Washington Working Act, largely prevents state and local police from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement.

• Among other changes, the 2019 law banned local police from detaining people based on civil immigration warrants and barred police officers from asking about a person's immigration status in noncriminal cases.
• The law also cracked down on information sharing between state, local and federal agencies.

The latest: "Washington State will not be bullied or intimidated by threats and legally baseless accusations," Ferguson wrote in a letter formally responding to Bondi on Tuesday.

• At a news conference Tuesday, the Democratic governor called Bondi's letter threatening criminal prosecution of public officials "breathtaking" and something that "cannot be normalized."
• Bondi "seeks to have Washington state bend the knee to a Trump administration that day by day drags us closer to authoritarianism," Ferguson said. "That's not going to happen."
• Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell joined Ferguson at Tuesday's press conference, after Ferguson said the city received a similar letter.

The other side: In the letter from Bondi, which Ferguson shared on X last weekend, the attorney general wrote that policies like Washington's have "obstructed federal immigration enforcement" for too long, "giving aliens cover to perpetrate crimes in our communities."

• Bondi referenced President Trump's order threatening to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions that "obstruct" federal immigration enforcement — something Washington state and others are already challenging in court.

What we're watching: Ferguson said he's confident that, if the federal government files a lawsuit challenging Washington's statute, "we will be successful in defending it."

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Prices are cooling and listings are climbing for homes in the Seattle area, but for many would-be buyers, the door is still shut.

Why it matters: Slightly lower prices don't help much when monthly payments remain sky high, especially for first-time buyers.

What they're saying: Affordability is the catch, says Zillow spokesperson Mark Stayton. "Mortgage rates have come down a bit lately, but the typical monthly payment is still nearly $2,000 higher than pre-pandemic in the Seattle metro area."

By the numbers: Preliminary data for July from Homes.com show the region's median home price fell 0.7% year over year to $760,000 — falling $5,000 from the same time last year — with a $20,000 drop from this June.

• Condo prices dropped the most, with values falling nearly 7% year over year, per Homes.com.
• Half of all listings sat on the market for 41 days, per Stayton, who says Zillow pegged Seattle home values at $751,156 in July, down 0.8% year over year.
• Nationally, prices rose 2.1% last month, per Homes.com.

The big picture: Among the top 40 U.S. markets, Seattle ranks fifth in home prices, but it slid to 35th in annual price growth in June, down from 16th in May, says Elliott Krivenko, senior director of market analytics at Homes.com.

The bottom line: "After years of rapid price growth, the Seattle market seems to be catching its breath," Krivenko tells Axios. "These recent price shifts point to a market working through a reset and trying to find its footing."

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🚨 Sound Transit is increasing its security presence, aiming to put officers on one in 4 trains to address rising safety concerns among transit riders and workers. (KING 5)

🍎 Kroger is closing six Seattle-area grocery stores, including four Fred Meyer locations announced this week, affecting about 700 workers and raising concerns over access to food in some neighborhoods. (Seattle Times)

🧢 Mariners outfielder Victor Robles was suspended for 10 games and fined after being ejected for throwing his bat toward a pitcher during a Triple-A rehab game in Las Vegas on Sunday. (ESPN)

A new Hulu series, "The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox," retells the story of the former University of Washington student who was convicted — then later acquitted — of murdering her roommate in Italy.

Zoom in: The miniseries was created with input from Knox, who now lives on Vashon Island.

• Grace Van Patten stars as Knox, while Sharon Horgan stars as her mother, Edda.

What to expect: The story spans 16 years, from when Knox arrives as a study abroad student in Italy to her imprisonment and eventual release — and her emotional journey afterward, The Seattle Times reports.

What's next: The first two episodes drop Wednesday, with more to follow.

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

Convening Seattle Community Luncheon at Hyatt Regency Seattle on Sept 17: This year's event will spotlight bright spots from Seattle Public Schools teachers and students while raising critical funds to support the Alliance. When we stay the course and work together, lasting change is possible for the most pressing issues in public education.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

Like it or not, "skibidi" has been added to the Cambridge Dictionary. But you could be forgiven for not knowing what the slang term means.

Cambridge defines "skibidi" as "a word that can have different meanings such as "cool" or "bad," or can be used with no real meaning.

Melissa's thought bubble: Language adapts, and that's fine, but you won't hear me saying this aloud anytime soon.

More internet slang that made the cut