Attorney General Pam Bondi demands WA, OR terminate sanctuary policies or risk federal funding

"Any sanctuary jurisdiction that continues to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens can either come to the table or see us in court," Bondi wrote in an August 14 social media post. The demand letters were issued the day prior.

"The United States has a long history of cooperation with state and local law enforcement agencies, including for immigration enforcement. Such cooperation is vital to enforce federal law and protect national security," the letter states. "For too long, so-called sanctuary jurisdiction policies have undermined this necessary cooperation and obstructed federal immigration enforcement, giving aliens cover to perpetrate crimes in our communities and evade the immigration consequences that federal law requires."

"You are hereby notified that your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States. This ends now," the letter continues. "By Tuesday, August 19, 2025, please submit a response to this letter that confirms your commitment to complying with federal law and identifies the immediate initiatives you are taking to eliminate laws, policies, and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement."

Both Washington state and Oregon have similar sanctuary laws, which prohibit local and state law enforcement agencies from cooperating with the federal government on immigration enforcement efforts. This includes refusing to comply with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, which is an official request asking local authorities to hand over criminal illegal immigrants being held in custody to ICE agents, instead of releasing them back out into the streets to potentially reoffend. Trump administration immigration officials have repeatedly blasted the policies.

Washington Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson responded to the letter in a statement, saying, "I will share a more detailed response to AG Bondi on Tuesday. That said, Washington state has no intention of changing our values in the face of threats from the Trump administration."

"The federal government's relentless targeting of law-abiding immigrants is wrong. The Keep Washington Working Act [sanctuary statute] is an important law that helps protect Washington families in the face of this assault. The Keep Washington Working Act requires our state and local law enforcement to focus on keeping Washingtonians safe, rather than allowing limited resources to be used for federal immigration enforcement. Protecting hardworking Washingtonians who are abiding by our state laws and keeping families together reflects our values as a state," Ferguson said.

Washington state has already been targeted over its sanctuary policies. In April, Congress demanded that Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat, produce all documents pertaining to how many times the state refused to honor ICE detainers. The request came after Brown decided to sue a local sheriff who vowed not to cooperate with the state's sanctuary policies, citing public safety concerns. AG Brown did not comply with the Congressional request.

Oregon Democrat Governor Tina Kotek also issued a response to Bondi's letter, writing in a statement obtained by KOIN Portland: "I will fight for the safety and prosperity of every Oregonian, from recent immigrants to people who have been here for generations. Threats like this undermine our values and our right to govern ourselves. We will not be bullied into doing the federal government's job of immigration enforcement."

US Attorney General Bondi's letter comes after President Trump issued an executive order, demanding that the Department of Justice identify sanctuary states and cities that have adopted policies to thwart federal immigration enforcement.

Members of the public can report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.