Washington Keep Washington Working Sanctuary Law

RCW 10.93.160, enacted as part of the 2019 Keep Washington Working Act, restricts how Washington state and local law enforcement agencies may interact with federal immigration authorities. Officers may not inquire into immigration or citizenship status for non-criminal investigations, hold individuals on civil immigration detainers without a judicial warrant, or use agency resources to investigate civil immigration violations. Schools, courthouses, hospitals, and shelters are designated as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement coordination is sharply limited. The law also bars the use of agency databases to share information for civil immigration enforcement. RCW 10.93.160 applies uniformly across all Washington jurisdictions and supersedes contrary local policies.

Agencies and officers violating RCW 10.93.160 may face investigation by the Washington Attorney General, civil enforcement actions, and corrective directives. The Attorney General publishes model policies and may pursue compliance remedies against noncompliant agencies.