Four Republican state senators—Phil Fortunato, Jeff Wilson, Jim McCune, and Leonard Christian—are demanding Gov. Bob Ferguson finally ditch Washington’s sanctuary law before the state gets hammered by the feds. Passed by Democrats in 2019, the so-called “Keep Washington Working Act” blocks local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials, even when dealing with violent felons who shouldn’t be here in the first place.

The results? Washington taxpayers are forced to cough up more than $21 million a year to house over 300 illegal felons, including convicted murderers and sex offenders. As Fortunato bluntly put it: if ICE wants them, let them have them—why should Washingtonians be footing the bill?

The senators warn that Ferguson’s refusal to comply with federal law isn’t just reckless, it’s putting the state directly in the federal government’s crosshairs. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already warned that sanctuary jurisdictions could face lawsuits, loss of federal funds, and even prosecution for obstructing enforcement. But instead of protecting families, Ferguson seems more interested in protecting his political ego.

Republicans are backing Senate Bill 5002 to repeal sanctuary status and restore law enforcement’s ability to coordinate with ICE. As Sen. Wilson points out, that cooperation is critical for fighting sex trafficking and gang activity—things Democrats apparently think should take a back seat to political posturing.

Bottom line: Ferguson and his Democrat allies are shielding criminals while taxpayers pick up the tab. Senate Republicans are the only ones actually fighting to put public safety ahead of politics. Read more at Seattle Red.

Delmer Eldred, host of The Klickitat Voice podcast, lays out a case for “constitutional counties” as a way for local governments to push back against runaway state and federal overreach. The idea is straightforward: county commissions can adopt resolutions declaring they won’t spend local resources enforcing laws they believe trample the U.S. or state constitutions. While these resolutions don’t have the power to overturn bad laws, they send a clear message—that citizens won’t just sit quietly while their freedoms are chipped away.

So far, no county in Washington has declared itself a constitutional county, but Eldred argues it may be past time. After all, this year’s legislative session was packed with record tax hikes and new restrictions on parental rights and gun ownership. Just a few years ago, Gov. Jay Inslee kept Washington under a “state of emergency” for nearly 1,000 days, while legislators did nothing to stop him. Olympia’s track record isn’t exactly inspiring confidence.

Eldred points out that the growth of government power at the expense of individual liberty is exactly the kind of abuse the Founding Fathers warned against. Declaring constitutional counties, he argues, is a way for local communities to stand tall and protect law-abiding citizens from being suffocated by one-size-fits-all dictates from the state capital. The more counties that draw a line in the sand, the less control Olympia has over Washingtonians’ everyday lives. Read more at Center Square.

U.S. border czar Tom Homan slipped into Seattle and Tacoma this week to meet with ICE and CBP officers, sending a blunt message: “Sanctuary cities are only sanctuaries for criminals.” His visit came just days after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened legal action against Gov. Bob Ferguson’s sanctuary policies, which block cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and protect criminal illegal immigrants at taxpayer expense.

Predictably, Ferguson puffed up his chest, claiming Washington’s sanctuary policies are “legal” and insisting he won’t be intimidated by the feds. Translation: he’s more interested in protecting his political image than protecting Washington families.

Homan wasn’t buying it. In a social media post, he slammed sanctuary policies as “abhorrent” and vowed ICE would enforce the law “with honor and without apology.” He made it clear that any assault, intimidation, or interference with law enforcement would be met with arrests and prosecutions—something Washington’s Democrats seem unwilling to do when it comes to criminal illegals.

On The Jason Rantz Show, Homan previewed his Pacific Northwest swing, promising to keep resources flowing to ICE and CBP agents so they can do their jobs and protect American communities. His bottom line: unlike Ferguson, the Trump administration actually has the backs of law enforcement—and the families they’re sworn to protect.

Once again, Washington Democrats stand exposed: more loyal to sanctuary politics than to public safety. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

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