In front of a modest crowd at the Yelm Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders told attendees of his town hall event that the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) will follow Washington state law and protocol in relation to immigration enforcement.
During a Q&A segment of the sheriff’s second of five town hall events, an audience member asked Sanders what the law enforcement agency’s protocol is in regards to illegal immigrants in Thurston County.
“We follow state law. State law says that we will not participate in any kind of immigration enforcement, period,” Sanders said. “They just go through the normal criminal justice system. All of the jail information is public. I’d think ICE, with their $9 billion budget, has someone who is sitting there going, ‘that guy.’ That’s just the reality of it.
“When you look at law enforcement agencies in Washington state right now, it’s very clear as a basis right now, over immigration, the federal government and state government are at civil war,” Sanders continued. “It’s about as bad as I could imagine it being right now between the state and the feds.”
Additionally, Sanders believes law enforcement agencies around Washington state are in a lose-lose position. No matter what law enforcement agencies decide to do, Sanders said either the state government or federal government could potentially come knocking.
“As a local law enforcement agency here in Washington state, you have two options,” Sanders said. “Would you like to be sued by the federal government, or would you like to be sued by the state government? Right now, every chief and sheriff is making that decision. They’re just trying to figure out who it’s better to be sued by.”
Sanders, who is currently serving his third year as elected sheriff of TCSO, justified his stance based on the differences in the Washington state Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
“For me, in Washington state, we make a pledge to the state and federal constitutions, but it is the state constitution that derives our power — not the (federal) Constitution,” Sanders said. “Each of the states have state rights, and here in Washington state, it is the state constitution where I even exist. Not once inside our federal constitution does it even say the word ‘sheriff.’”
Additionally, Sanders specified that there are no ICE holding facilities in Thurston County. He noted that the Thurston County jail is the only felony jail within the county. He acknowledged the presence of the Chehalis Tribal Jail and the Nisqually Tribal Jail — noting that both sit on tribal land.
The sheriff held his third of five town halls on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Swede Hall in Rochester. His final two public events in the town hall series are set for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at The Hub in Lacey, and at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at Griffin School in Olympia.
of the jail information is public. I’d think ICE, with their $9 billion budget, has someone who is sitting there going, ‘that guy.’ That’s just the reality of it.
“When you look at law enforcement agencies in Washington state right now, it’s very clear as a basis right now, over immigration, the federal government and state government are at civil war,” Sanders continued. “It’s about as bad as I could imagine it being right now between the state and the feds.”
Additionally, Sanders believes law enforcement agencies around Washington state are in a lose-lose position. No matter what law enforcement agencies decide to do, Sanders said either the state government or federal government could potentially come knocking.
“As a local law enforcement agency here in Washington state, you have two options,” Sanders said. “Would you like to be sued by the federal government, or would you like to be sued by the state government? Right now, every chief and sheriff is making that decision. They’re just trying to figure out who it’s better to be sued by.”
Sanders, who is currently serving his third year as elected sheriff of TCSO, justified his stance based on the differences in the Washington state Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
“For me, in Washington state, we make a pledge to the state and federal constitutions, but it is the state constitution that derives our power — not the (federal) Constitution,” Sanders said. “Each of the states have state rights, and here in Washington state, it is the state constitution where I even exist. Not once inside our federal constitution does it even say the word ‘sheriff.’”
Additionally, Sanders specified that there are no ICE holding facilities in Thurston County. He noted that the Thurston County jail is the only felony jail within the county. He acknowledged the presence of the Chehalis Tribal Jail and the Nisqually Tribal Jail — noting that both sit on tribal land.
The sheriff held his third of five town halls on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Swede Hall in Rochester. His final two public events in the town hall series are set for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at The Hub in Lacey, and at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at Griffin School in Olympia.
