Washington state Dems move illegal immigrant criminals to top of list for commutations, pardons to help them avoid ICE

Washington state passed a bill on Tuesday that would move illegal immigrant criminals to the top of the list for pardons and commutations. This is as the Trump administration enhances nationwide immigration enforcement efforts. House Bill 1131, introduced by Democrats, passed with a vote of 50 to 46. All Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, while only 7 Democrats opposed it, according to records.

The text of the bill reads: "If a petitioner indicates in the petition an urgent need for the pardon or commutation including, but not limited to, a pending deportation order or deportation proceeding, the board shall consider expedited review of the application."

The passing of the bill comes as the Trump administration confronts a new set of challenges from the judicial branch regarding mass deportation operations. Trump has attempted to use the Alien Enemies Act in conjunction with his executive orders classifying international cartels as terrorists to conduct deportations at large. This has been temporarily blocked by federal judges, including Supreme Court justices who ordered the Trump administration to not deport anyone except with explicit orders from the Supreme Court. This significantly thwarts the administration from removing criminal illegal migrants from the nation. The Alien Enemies Act is a federal law that grants the president broad authority to remove non-citizens from the country who have been deemed hostile enemies. 

Republican Rep. Jim Walsh, who is also the chairman of WA GOP, condemned the Washington bill in a statement to The Post Millennial, saying, "HB 1131 is an ill-advised, hyper-partisan mistake. It doubles down on a recent fashion in 'progressive' circles for treating criminals as if they were victims. It disregards the spirit and letter of federal immigration law. It undermines public safety in Washington. And it puts law-abiding people at risk. Lawlessness breeds lawlessness. This needs to stop. Now."

Washington is a self-declared sanctuary state for illegal immigrants, including those who have committed serious criminal offenses. The state's sanctuary statute, the Keep Washington Working Act (KWW), prohibits local and state law enforcement from working alongside federal immigration authorities, such as Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), to apprehend illegal immigrants who have committed and/or are suspected of having committed crimes. In March, WA Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff of Adams County for assisting ICE in defiance of the state's laws.

Recent ICE arrests in the state include alleged members of the Tren de Aragua terror group, convicted child rapists, drug traffickers, and illegal immigrants who have committed other violent offenses such as assaults and kidnappings.

Border Czar Tom Homan has called for the prosecution of elected officials in sanctuary states who he says have been interfering with federal immigration enforcement operations during a recent press briefing. He has also vowed to flood sanctuary states and cities with ICE agents.

The state of Washington is also weighing a bill, SB 5068, that would allow non-citizens to become law enforcement officers and prosecutors, which has also been condemned by several sheriffs who have vowed not to hire non-citizens if the bill were to pass. SB 5068 passed in the state Senate and is currently in the House for review. The bill's next hearing has not yet been set.