OLYMPIA — Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), vice chair of the Latino Democratic Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles, removing limits that barred stops and detentions based solely on race, ethnicity, language, or type and location of work.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling expands ICE’s authority in ways that put communities at risk. By allowing detentions based on race, ethnicity, language, or work type, this decision effectively legalizes racial profiling. It does not make our neighborhoods safer — it puts our neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones in harm’s way simply because of what they look like or do for a living. This ruling will only embolden ICE to expand these same racist and dangerous practices nationwide.
“Washington state has chosen — and will continue to choose — a different path. In 2019, we passed the Keep Washington Working Act to keep families together and ensure law enforcement resources focus on public safety, not tearing communities and families apart. Since then, we’ve expanded civil service eligibility for immigrants, created a path for sentence review to prevent unjust deportations, banned workplace coercion based on immigration status, strengthened hate crime protections, and expanded education and legal resources for DREAMers and immigrant youth.
“These laws reflect Washington’s values. We will not turn our backs on our immigrant neighbors. We will not let fear and hate divide us. And we will not allow Washington families to be torn apart by unjust federal policies.
“We belong here. We are here to stay. And I will never stop working to ensure Washington is a home where every person — no matter where they come from — can live with safety, dignity, hope and freedom from fear.”
