(The Center Square) – Lawmaker frustration boiled over Thursday in a House Community Safety Committee hearing in the Washington legislature on bills concerning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
The hearing was abruptly recessed for about 15 minutes when state Rep. Jenny Graham, R-Spokane Valley, who is the ranking minority on the committee, attempted to ask questions of one of the bill sponsors but was silenced by the chair, Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland.
As reported by The Center Square, the legislation Simmons is backing would prevent someone from obtaining a law enforcement position in Washington, if they were hired to be a U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officer on or after Jan. 20, 2025.
Simmons, a Democrat with prior felony convictions, is sponsoring House Bill 2641, dubbed the “ICE Out Act of 2026,” along with Rep. Shaun Scott, D-Seattle.
“We have seen ICE agents breaking the windows of people’s vehicles. Snatching individuals off our streets and out of our communities….and using children as bait to detain their parents,” said Simmons.
That statement prompted Graham to call for a point of order, objecting to Simmons’ testimony.
A point of order is a formal objection raised by a member to alert the chair that the rules of procedure are being violated.
“Try not to use inflammatory phrases,” Goodman, D-Kirkland, told Simmons.
“The reports I am hearing from people is they feel ICE is ripping their families apart,” Simmons said. “It would be naïve of us not to prepare for the possibility of federal intervention here. All of this will end one day but these ICE officers will look for a new home. Not here.”
Rep. Brian Burnett, R-Wenatchee, who served many years as Chelan County sheriff, asked Simmons about the hiring cutoff date of Jan 20, 2025, referenced in the bill which states any ICE officer hired after that date can’t apply to be an officer in Washington.
“Why would you hold that against someone if they haven’t violated anything or had a criminal law violation,” asked Burnett.
“I’m hearing from our communities that a person who sees what’s going on right now and signs up for that and wants to be a part of that, we have questions about their character,” said Simmons….“I think right now everyone is afraid of ICE.”
Growing frustrated with the line of testimony from the sponsor, Graham asked the chair to recess the hearing, so Republican members could caucus and discuss the bill.
When the hearing concluded, Graham told TCS the sponsor’s testimony was inappropriate, and Goodman should not have allowed it.
“Talking about ICE officers not having character and breaking people’s civil rights. She’s just flat-out saying things that are untrue. These are people that are doing their lawful jobs, to uphold the U.S. Constitution and protect legal residents from harm from illegal foreign nationals and they didn’t want to talk about that any of the victims, like Laken Riley.”
Laken was a 22-year-old university student who was jogging when she was attacked and murdered by a Venezuelan man who had entered the United States illegally.
Graham said Goodman wouldn’t allow her to ask important questions of the sponsor.
“He’s been a chair for a long time, and he knows better than to act like that. That’s not how it’s supposed to go,” said Graham. “So, we definitely did have some fireworks with him making the comment that he’s the chair and he can do whatever he wants to, and I said, “no you can’t.”
No action was taken on the bill.
Another bill related to ICE – HB 2648 – limiting how local law enforcement can interact with ICE officials, received a public hearing with some spirited debate.
Sponsor Rep. Mary Fosse, D-Everett, is the bill sponsor, who opened her testimony saying law enforcement members are confused.
“What I’ve been hearing is a little bit of heartbreak about the activities that their witnessing and I’ve heard confusion about where state law ends and federal supremacy begins,” said Fosse.
Graham told Fosse she has major concerns about the bill.
“We definitely disagree and what I’m finding particularly concerning is we’re only talking about one side of this issue and ignoring the crime victims in this state that are being raped, robbed, murdered, assaulted by people that are illegal foreign nationals,” said Graham. “What about their rights?”
“It’s interesting that you talk about victims, because the victims I’m seeing is Renee. I’m seeing mothers and nurses being murdered,” responded Fosse.
As Graham interjected to bring up victims of illegal immigrants, Goodman interrupted to say she was not speaking to the bill.
Steve Strachan, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, testified in opposition to the bill.
“Our concern is that this bill adds even more reporting requirements at a time when local law enforcement is being called to do almost the impossible. We’re called on to ensure both the constitutional right to protest peacefully and also ensure of course that any violence toward any enforcement officer is neither encouraged nor allowed,” said Strachan.
“The predictable real world effect particularly of the community notification element would be federal officers would be less likely to call on local law enforcement for assistance when needed for public safety problems, resulting in more division, potentially more violence and more tension.”
No executive action was taken on the bill at the conclusion of the hearing.
