Washington's Immigration Policy: The Rules That Matter

Washington maintains 196 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with immigration policy. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Washington falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Sanctuary Policy Preemption

The District restricts Metropolitan Police Department cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, prohibits honoring civil ICE detainers, and bars use of DC resources to investigate residents' immigration status.

Key details: Authority: DC Code 24-211.07. Civil detainers: Not honored without warrant. Status questioning: Prohibited by MPD officers. Service access: Independent of immigration status.

MPD or DOC violating sanctuary rules face internal discipline and civil suits; private residents are not subject to penalties under this statute.

The rules around sanctuary policy preemption in Washington lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

E-Verify Mandates

DC does not require private employers to use the federal E-Verify system, though federal contractors performing work in the District remain subject to FAR Subpart 22.18 E-Verify obligations under federal law.

Key details: DC mandate: None for private employers. Federal contractors: Required by FAR 22.18. Anti-discrimination: DC Human Rights Act applies. Ban-the-box authority: DC Code 32-1342.

Misusing E-Verify or Form I-9 in a discriminatory way exposes employers to DC Office of Human Rights complaints and federal IER investigations under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Washington is more permissive than most cities when it comes to e-verify mandates. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Washington gives residents more room on immigration policy. 2 of the 2 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

Keep in mind that Washington can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.