AN ACT Relating to prohibiting certain law enforcement agencies from hiring certain federal employees;
Summary
HB 2641 would prohibit certain Washington law enforcement agencies from employing individuals who were hired as sworn officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on or after January 1, 2021. The restriction applies to general authority and limited authority law enforcement agencies in Washington and is framed as a prospective hiring ban rather than a retroactive employment action.
The bill also includes a standard effective-date provision and states that it may be cited as the "ICE out act." In practical terms, it would add a new section to Washington law governing law enforcement personnel hiring standards and would limit agencies’ discretion to hire former ICE sworn officers hired after the specified date.
Impact
The bill would create a new statutory restriction in chapter RCW governing law enforcement agencies, barring specified agencies from hiring a defined category of former federal immigration enforcement personnel. It would affect hiring practices for general authority and limited authority police agencies statewide, but only prospectively and only for individuals hired by ICE on or after January 1, 2021. It would not disturb existing employment relationships established before the effective date.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be motivated by concerns about immigration enforcement and the role of ICE personnel in local policing, but the legislative record supplied here does not show how lawmakers or stakeholders reacted.
Contention
The main point of contention likely concerns whether Washington law enforcement agencies should be allowed to hire former ICE sworn officers, especially those hired after January 1, 2021. Supporters would likely view the bill as a way to prevent perceived conflicts with immigration enforcement and to align local policing with community trust concerns, while opponents may argue it unnecessarily narrows hiring pools, penalizes federal service, or politicizes law enforcement staffing. No specific contested arguments are documented in the provided record.
AN ACT Relating to ensuring compliance with and enforcement of certain workplace standards and requirements applicable to employers of isolated employees;
Concerning agencies, firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement, extending eligibility for employment to all United States citizens or persons legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.