Ferguson says he won’t be ‘bullied or intimidated’ by federal government over sanctuary laws

Gov. Bob Ferguson said he will defend a Washington law that restricts state and local policing agencies from cooperating and participating in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

“Let me be very clear: Washington state will not be bullied or intimidated by threats and legally baseless accusations,” Ferguson said Tuesday.

His remarks, delivered in the state capitol surrounded by a collection of elected officials and immigrant rights advocates, come as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatens criminal prosecution of state officials who use their “official positions to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts.”

It was the latest salvo in the Trump administration’s fight against states with sanctuary laws.

In letters sent last Wednesday to Ferguson, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and dozens of other officials across the country, Bondi wrote that under President Donald Trump, “full cooperation by state and local governments in immigration enforcement efforts is a top priority.”

“You are hereby notified that your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States,” Bondi wrote. “This ends now.”

Bondi’s letter requested a response by Tuesday that confirmed Ferguson’s “commitment to complying with federal law.”

He instead replied: “By threatening criminal prosecutions of state officials, this letter embarrasses and disgraces the office of the United States Attorney General,” Ferguson said.

While the letter does not specifically cite with which state law Bondi takes issue, Ferguson indicated it was the Keep Washington Working Act, which the Legislature passed in 2019. The law restricts local law enforcement from using local resources to help federal officials enforce immigration law and prevents local law enforcement from sharing nonpublic information with federal officials, except in certain scenarios.

With Republicans in control of the White House and Congress, the legislation has come under frequent federal criticism.

The Department of Justice has twice labeled Washington a “sanctuary jurisdiction” that it believes has laws and regulations that restrict cooperation with federal immigration officials. Trump, who ordered the Department of Justice to establish a list of such jurisdictions, has said federal funds could be withheld from those cities and states.

Spokane Rep. Michael Baumgartner and other members of a House oversight committee also announced in late March that it had begun to investigate the Keep Washington Working Act.

In a Monday interview on Fox News, Bondi said the federal government would “cut off federal funding” to jurisdictions that do not comply.

“We are going to send in law enforcement, just like we did during the L.A. riots, just like we’re doing here in Washington, D.C. And if they’re not going to keep their citizens safe, Donald Trump will keep them safe,” Bondi said. “That’s what this is all about, making America safe again.”

Bondi added that troops from the National Guard are “ready to go.”

Ferguson dismissed the letter from Bondi as “posturing” and said it was void of any justification or evidence of the allegations.

While the governor said he is unsure what steps the federal government will now take, he vowed Washington would defeat any legal challenge while seeking “all appropriate costs and fees.”

“I am very confident that if the federal government files a lawsuit challenging the Keep Washington Working Act, that we will be successful in defending it,” Ferguson said. “We’ll see what they choose to do.”

In a written response – which Ferguson said he “thought about very carefully and spent a lot of time on” – the governor wrote that Bondi was “hereby notified that Washington State will not be intimidated by threats and legally baseless accusations.”

“I am not intimidated by you or the President. I will defend our democracy, the rule of law, and the people of my state. Always,” Ferguson wrote.

State Sen. Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, the prime sponsor of the Keep Washington Working Act, said Tuesday that the legislation is “important in terms of keeping our businesses flourishing” and that it is the “responsibility” of the federal government to enforce immigration law.

“Do your damn job and leave us the hell alone,” Wellman said.

State Rep. Julio Cortes, D-Marysville, the vice chair of the Latino Democratic caucus, said the legislation keeps local focus on public safety and ensures residents can seek help from police without fear of deportation.

“We will not allow fear to dictate the way we treat our neighbors,” Cortes said.