The Enumclaw Police Department recently posted its official policy regarding federal immigration enforcement and, perhaps most topical, how the department would and would not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (CE) officers.
According to the department, the Jan. 26 Facebook post was prompted by community inquiries and concern.
“… [W]ith the heightened media attention on this issue, this has been a topic of concern amongst citizens of Enumclaw in recent weeks,” PIO Sarah Taylor said. “Between the city and the police department, it was decided that a public statement declaring our legal abilities and limitations would clarify these concerns as well as educate the public on the laws that govern us on this issue.”
THE POST
The Enumclaw Police Department is committed to serving and protecting everyone in our community with fairness, professionalism, and respect for the law. We uphold all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Keep Washington Working Act (RCW 10.93.160), passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2019. Compliance with the Keep Washington Working Act:
Consistent with this state law, the Enumclaw Police Department will:
• Not stop, detain, or arrest anyone solely to determine their immigration or citizenship status. Civil immigration enforcement is not a local law enforcement function.
• Not ask about or collect information regarding a person’s place of birth, national origin, immigration status, or citizenship status unless that information is directly relevant to a criminal investigation.
• Not hold individuals in custody at the request of federal immigration authorities based on detainers, administrative immigration warrants, or hold requests when those requests are solely for civil immigration enforcement.
• Not provide federal immigration authorities with non-public personal information—such as a person’s release date, release time, home address, or similar details—unless required by law or a judicial order.
• Ensure that any access by federal immigration authorities to individuals in local custody for civil immigration purposes is voluntary and only with written consent from the individual to be interviewed. The department will operate under policies consistent with state law and guidance from the Washington State Attorney General. We recognize that enforcing federal civil immigration law is a responsibility of federal authorities, not local police. If Federal ICE Officers Are Present in the City:
• We will not assist federal immigration enforcement actions that are beyond the scope of state law (e.g., civil immigration arrests) and will not provide local resources to support those actions, consistent with the Keep Washington Working Act.
• We will verify the identity and lawful authority of any federal immigration officer operating within the city. If there are concerns about impersonation or unlawful conduct, we will act to protect public safety.
• We will coordinate as necessary to ensure public safety—for example, traffic control, crowd management, or reasonable cooperation in criminal investigations—so long as such actions are lawful and do not involve enforcement of federal civil immigration law by local officers.
• We will encourage community members to comply with lawful orders from duly authorized federal agents, while protecting constitutional rights and civil liberties for everyone in our city.
Our Priority:
The Enumclaw Police Department’s priority remains the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors. We strive to maintain trust with every member of our community, regardless of immigration status, and to ensure that public safety efforts focus on criminal matters that affect the quality of life and security of our city.
COMMUNITY REACTION
The EPD turned off comments on its post, but the statement was shared more than 30 times by the following day and received nearly 375 reactions.
The vast majority of reactions were positive. Between the EPD post and the corresponding post from the city of Enumclaw, there were 421 likes and 172 hearts; there were also 66 angry reactions.
Comments on shared posts were limited.
“Thank you, EPD,” one post reads.
“’We won’t share information on criminals to other law-enforcement agencies who are trying to catch those criminals… but we will pay $30,000 to a private company (Flock) to capture, organize, and profile NON-criminals in our community,’” reads another share, referencing the Enumclaw City Council’s decision to partner with Flock Safety to use automatic license plate reader cameras. “[H]ypocrisy anyone?”
“It is a policy, they have to follow, but the fact is hey are commenting on it is cowardice,” was a third. “I’m guessing it’s a pre formed statement that they are putting out because the state is threatening to pull funding if the don’t.”
