Yakima County Sheriff Bob Udell has issued a statement to the community about immigration enforcement and how it's impacting the Yakima Valley. Udell is reminding residents the immigration enforcement is a federal function "under the guidance of the federal administration and federal courts."

SO WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ?

Udell says there's been a lot of talk in the community on how the Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement fit into the new federal agenda. He says they're pretty much standing on the sidelines focusing on safety like other law enforcement in the state of Washington. In a statement published on the Yakima County Sheriff's Office Facebook page Udell says local law enforcement across the United States and this state "have historically focused on keeping their communities safe utilizing local and state laws."

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STATE LAWS BAR LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM HELPING THE FEDS

But Udell says Washington state is unique because state laws, specifically the “Keep Washington Working Act,” prohibit local law enforcement from performing or helping any immigration functions.

CRIMINALS DON'T ESCAPE LOCAL CHARGES

He says "in my 35 years with the Sheriff’s Office, we have never enforced immigration laws, and only have helped local ICE agents very infrequently in a peripheral role to keep officers and subjects safe."
Udell asks the question "does this mean people who do not have a legal immigration status escape responsibility for committing crimes?" Udell says the answer is simply "Absolutely not:  Immigration status does not protect people from accountability for state crimes." He says the focus of the sheriff's office remains on local safety.

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