Chelan County, WA Immigration Policy: Sanctuary Policy Preemption (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted by
- Resolution 2020-144, effective 12/14/2020
- Applies to
- All Chelan County offices, departments, properties, facilities
- No inquiry
- Immigration status absent criminal investigation nexus
- No 287(g) agreements
- County officers barred from federal deputization contracts
- Detention agreements
- Terminated within 180 days of May 21, 2019
- Consent required
- Written, English/Spanish, before any ICE interview
Summary
Chelan County has codified its own Keep Washington Working Act policy in unincorporated Chelan County: county law enforcement, including school resource officers, cannot ask about a person's immigration or citizenship status unless it connects to a state or local criminal investigation, cannot hold anyone solely on a civil immigration warrant, and cannot enter 287(g) deputization agreements with federal immigration authorities.
It is the intent of Chelan County to follow the Keep Washington Working Act passed by the Washington State Legislature effective May 21, 2019, and codified in Chapters 10.93, 43.10, and 43.17 RCW. ... This ... policy is enacted consistent with RCW 43.10.310(2) and applies to all offices, departments, properties, and facilities of Chelan County government. (1) Chelan County law enforcement may not inquire into or collect information about an individual’s immigration or citizenship status, or place of birth, unless there is a connection between such information and an investigation into a violation of state or local criminal law. ... (8) An individual may not be detained solely for the purpose of determining immigration status. (9) An individual must not be taken into custody, or held in custody, solely for the purposes of determining immigration status or based solely on a civil immigration warrant, or an immigration hold request.
Full Breakdown
310(2). 17) as county policy. C. 1357(g) (12); any existing immigration detention agreements had to terminate within 180 days of the Act's May 21, 2019 effective date (13); and no contracting for interpretation services from federal immigration authorities (14). The policy binds county staff and offices rather than creating a separate criminal statute against the public.
Violations & Fines
The policy binds Chelan County staff, not the public, so it carries no fine or citation for residents. A county employee or law enforcement officer who violates the non-inquiry, non-detention, or 287(g) prohibitions is subject to internal discipline under county personnel rules; the ordinance sets no separate criminal penalty, and any 287(g) agreement or detention based solely on a civil immigration warrant made in violation of Section 1.392.010 is void as county policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chelan County have a sanctuary law?
Can Chelan County deputies work with ICE under a 287(g) agreement?
Will talking to a Chelan County deputy about a noncriminal matter get reported to ICE?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington immigration policy overview
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