OLYMPIA, Wash. — Governor Bob Ferguson said Washington is standing behind its sanctuary state status, despite a recent letter from U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
The letter sent from Bondi earlier this week says that Washington’s sanctuary state policies do not comply with President Trump’s executive order on immigration enforcement.
“You are hereby notified that your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States,” the letter reads. “This ends now.”
Gov. Ferguson responded on X/Twitter Saturday morning, saying “Washington state has no intention of changing our values in the face of threats from the Trump administration.”
Ferguson said a more detailed response will be given on Tuesday, the deadline Bondi imposed in the letter. Ferguson also maintained that Washington would not change its values or the Keep Washington Working Act.
You can read the full response from Gov. Ferguson below:
“I will share a more detailed response to AG Bondi on Tuesday.”Washington state has no intention of changing our values in the face of threats from the Trump administration.”The federal government’s relentless targeting of law-abiding immigrants is wrong. The Keep Washington Working Act is an important law that helps protect Washington families in the face of this assault. The Keep Washington Working Act requires our state and local law enforcement to focus on keeping Washingtonians safe, rather than allowing limited resources to be used for federal immigration enforcement.”Protecting hardworking Washingtonians who are abiding by our state laws and keeping families together reflect our values as a state.”
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