OLYMPIA – In support of a formal demand from the U.S. Attorney General to repeal Washington’s “sanctuary” policies, state Senators Phil Fortunato, Jeff Wilson, Jim McCune, and Leonard Christian are urging Gov. Bob Ferguson to take immediate action to come into compliance.
The federal government has identified Washington as a sanctuary jurisdiction and has threatened legal action and the withholding of federal funds if the state does not comply. Ferguson has publicly rejected the demand, stating he has no intention of rolling back the state’s sanctuary policies.
“The federal government has made its position clear. Washington’s sanctuary policies are putting our state at risk, both financially and in terms of public safety,” said Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Pierce County. “The so-called ‘Keep Washington Working Act’ has nothing to do with keeping Washingtonians working. Instead, it ties the hands of law enforcement, shields dangerous criminals, and puts our taxpayers at risk.
“While legislative action is required to repeal the statute, the governor has the authority to immediately roll back harmful executive policies imposed by his predecessor and state agencies. It’s time for him to act.”
The Keep Washington Working Act is the state’s primary sanctuary policy, passed by Olympia’s majority Democrats in 2019. It severely restricts how and when local law enforcement may cooperate with federal immigration-enforcement efforts.
For instance, the law limits how much local agencies can participate in federal immigration-enforcement activities by preventing them from questioning individuals about their immigration status unless it directly relates to a criminal-law violation. It also prohibits local law-enforcement agencies from notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when an illegal immigrant is in custody or detaining individuals for civil immigration purposes.
The legislators are also pointing to the financial consequences of the state’s current course.
“Washington taxpayers are paying more than $21 million annually to incarcerate over 300 illegal felons—most of whom are convicted murderers and sex offenders—in state prisons,” added Fortunato, the son of Italian immigrants. “If the federal government wants them, let them have them. Why should Washington taxpayers shoulder the burden of housing and protecting violent criminals who shouldn’t even be here? With the state already facing budget pressures after passing the largest set of tax increases in state history, keeping these policies in place only makes things worse.”
The four lawmakers warned that politics should not be driving the debate on the contentious issue.
“Our state government needs to partner with the federal government to tackle issues such as sex trafficking, gangs and other forms of illegal activities; that cooperation should never fall victim to political battles between the Governor and the President,” said Wilson, R-Longview.
In response to a letter from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Ferguson held a press conference Tuesday expressing his firm commitment to fighting any federal effort to stop the state’s sanctuary policies. Attorney General Bondi’s letter not only notified Washington of its status as a sanctuary jurisdiction but also warned that government officials who obstruct federal immigration enforcement or induce illegal immigration could face criminal prosecution.
“By doubling down on these policies, the governor is putting Washington in the federal government’s crosshairs,” said McCune, R-Graham. “Washingtonians deserve to have their laws enforced and their communities protected. It’s time to end the political posturing and do what’s right for the people we serve. The state must stop protecting criminals who have no business being here and start working with our federal partners to make Washington safer.”
Christian, R-Spokane Valley, added, “I signed up to serve our country after graduating high school to protect our citizens. You don’t protect our country by allowing illegal-alien criminals to have free rein in our communities as this state has done.”
The four senators say that passage and implementation of Senate Bill 5002, which Fortunato introduced during the 2025 legislative session, is the answer. The bill would fully repeal the 2019 sanctuary policy and restore law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal partners. The senators want to see the state take action on this issue, through immediate executive action by the governor and by approving the legislation in the upcoming session.
“Repealing sanctuary policies isn’t about partisan politics—it’s about protecting our communities and respecting taxpayers,” Fortunato concluded. “The governor should take immediate action and support SB 5002 so Washington can get back to putting its citizens first.”
Senators Phil Fortunato, Jeff Wilson, Jim McCune, and Leonard Christian are members of the Washington State Senate Freedom Caucus.