Corrections department challenges state law following whistleblower complaint on immigrant guards: report
A Seattle-area corrections department is asking a Washington judge to block enforcement of a state law barring it from hiring unauthorized immigrants, following a whistleblower report alleging that dozens of jail guards lacked legal work authorization, according to a new report.
The whistleblower investigation kicked off in early October after an unnamed King County employee sent a complaint to the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC).
“Individuals have been hired while holding only temporary work visas, and in some cases, with expired work authorization altogether,” the complaint reads. “These hires are in direct violation of the statutory requirements set forth by state law.”
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Rather than comply with hiring standards outlined in state law, King County’s Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention Director Allen Nance is reportedly suing to have the law struck down, according to SeattleRed host Jason Rantz.
“Washington has long prohibited discrimination against people based on immigration status,” Nance wrote, according to a Nov. 10 memo reportedly obtained by Rantz. “The County believes the state law is unconstitutional because it restricts employment eligibility in a way that is contrary to federal immigration standards, discriminates against local COs, and endangers the safety of our jails by disqualifying hard-working, experienced officers.”
Read the whistleblower’s complaint:
The department previously told Fox News Digital that it was investigating the whistleblower complaint and denied that any of the guards were illegal immigrants, even though some appeared to have failed to meet the legal eligibility requirements.
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Washington law requires all peace officers in the state have their immigration status verified and must be American citizens, lawful permanent residents or beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.
The law does not allow for the hiring of people with temporary visas, expired work authorization or illegal immigrants who do not fall under DACA.
The state’s training commission told Fox News Digital that while it trains newly hired corrections officers, it’s the responsibility of the hiring agencies to vet the candidates. However, after learning of the whistleblower complaint, county officials told the commission that four of its recent hires did not meet eligibility requirements, and they were expelled from the training program.
King County is the largest in the state and includes Seattle and some of its suburbs.
Local authorities were cooperating with the state investigation, a WSCJTC spokesperson said previously.
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