WASHINGTON — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is pushing back against U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who last week identified the state as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction that impedes federal immigration enforcement.
Bondi sent Ferguson a letter on August 13, in which she told him to repeal laws that she said obstruct federal efforts. In the letter, posted by Ferguson on X, she cited a Trump administration executive order that could tie federal funding to immigration cooperation.
Ferguson responded in that X post by saying, “Washington state has no intention of changing our values in the face of threats from the Trump administration.”
Ferguson cites Keep Washington Working Act
Ferguson cited the Keep Washington Working Act, a 2019 state law that limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
“The Keep Washington Working Act is an important law that helps protect Washington families in the face of this assault,” Ferguson said. “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.”
Ferguson said he plans to issue a more detailed response to Bondi’s letter on Tuesday.
I will share a more detailed response to AG Bondi on Tuesday.
— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) August 16, 2025
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… pic.twitter.com/0YNAMzkBJe
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
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