WA state Sheriff Keith Swank SLAMS bill to let non-US citizens become law enforcement officers

A Washington state sheriff has taken a firm stand against a proposed bill that would permit noncitizens to become law enforcement officers, granting them the ability to take away the constitutional rights of US citizens. Keith Swank, the Sheriff of Pierce County, urged state lawmakers to reject the legislation, asserting on Wednesday that noncitizens should never be allowed to hold such positions of power. The sheriff made it clear that if the bill were to pass, his office would reject all applicants who are not American citizens.

Swank, who assumed office in January, wrote about the matter on X, saying, "SB 5068 allows police agencies to hire non-citizens to be police officers and deputies. This means that non-citizens will be able to take away the rights (detain, arrest, shoot, kill) of citizens. I'm shocked that every state senator voted for this bill."

"The Pierce County Sheriff's Office will not be hiring non-citizens under my watch," he asserted. Pierce County is a politically moderate county adjacent to King County, which encompasses Seattle, a progressive stronghold.

Under Senate Bill 5068, law enforcement agencies in Washington state would be required to consider applications for any person "who is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law for any office, place, position, or employment within the agency." The bill, backed by Democrats, significantly broadens the pool of noncitizens who can be hired, extending well beyond green card holders, who are considered lawful permanent residents.

Examples of noncitizens legally authorized to work include those on temporary visas, asylum seekers, and admitted refugees, among others. Proponents of the bill claim that the legislation would address staffing shortages stemming from the 2020 defund the police movement, which sparked a mass exodus of law enforcement officers across the state.

In February, the bill passed unanimously in the Senate and is currently in the House, awaiting a vote that will determine if the legislation is signed into law.

Swank, a 33-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department who came out of retirement to lead one of Washington's largest sheriff's departments in an effort to restore law and order in the state, told The Post Millennial that the proposal undermines the integrity of policing and raises serious concerns about public trust at a time when the state is grappling with societal challenges. He views the bill as yet another "unconstitutional" threat to the stability he's working to restore.

"Allowing noncitizens to enforce laws on American citizens is a step too far," Swank told TPM, emphasizing that law enforcement requires a deep understanding of and commitment to the constitutional framework that governs the United States, which he believes can only be upheld by citizens. 

Further, he emphasized the importance of sheriffs speaking up when they believe an issue may be harmful to their citizens, stating that elected sheriffs are the only law enforcement officers that answer to the people rather than the government.

Swank strongly criticized Senate Republicans for supporting the bill. However, sources familiar with the matter told The Post Millennial that many of the GOP senators reportedly regret their votes and believe they were duped into supporting the bill because it had been endorsed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). Swank, a member of WASPC, believes the association likely threw support behind the bill because of statewide hiring difficulties.

During his extensive career with the Seattle Police Department, Swank rose to the rank of captain and commanded SWAT team units. He famously directed the clearance of the infamous Antifa-BLM CHAZ/CHOP riot zone in the summer of 2020. Sheriff Swank campaigned on a platform that included cracking down on violent crime through traditional policing, restoring morale in law enforcement, and increasing staffing levels.