Washington state Democratic lawmakers, in the wake of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramping up their activity in-and-around the country, are working to introduce legislation to push back against ICE actions. The ICE Out Act of 2026, proposes to bar ICE agents from later becoming law enforcement officers in Washington state. House Bill 2641 specifically applies to ICE agents who were hired after President Donald Trump began his second term on Jan. 20, 2025.
The bill is not yet scheduled for a public hearing but will likely be heard by the House Community Safety Committee soon. As is natural with pretty much all bills, not all lawmakers are on board with the idea of barring ICE agents becoming Washington law enforcement officers in the future. For instance, Rep. Brian Burnett, R-Chelan, a former Chelan County sheriff, spoke out against the proposal on Thursday, calling it a “discriminatory proposal” that moves the state in the wrong direction.
If passed and signed by our governor, the ICE Out Act would go into effect Oct. 1, 2026.
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