OLYMPIA, Wash. — Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown held a news conference Monday morning, condemning federal immigration officers after an ICU nurse was shot and killed in Minneapolis.
The pair wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, stating they would hold the U.S. government and individual agents accountable:
Secretary Noem, your administration now openly authorizes ICE agents to forcibly enter people's homes without a judicial warrant.
— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) January 26, 2026
That is blatantly unconstitutional – ICE cannot authorize itself to break into people’s homes.
If ICE attempts such unconstitutional measures in… pic.twitter.com/ewPNnPPzDe
Furthermore, the pair laid out the steps state leaders are taking to protect people from federal agents.
“We are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to mitigate against the harms inflicted by ICE,” Ferguson said.
First, he made it clear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents cannot enter someone’s home without a warrant—no exceptions, despite a leaked internal memo that indicated otherwise.
Second, he said the state is reorganizing its leadership structure to better coordinate how to handle ICE activity.
Third, the governor shared that he’s in talks with the National Guard about ways to protect Washington residents. He shared that he met on Sunday with Major General Gent Welch of the Washington National Guard.
When asked at what point he would consider activating the Guard, Gov. Ferguson didn’t share specifics but said he wouldn’t hold back.
“I’m not going to be shy about doing that if I think it’s necessary to help protect the people of our state,” he said. “That’s the criteria for me.”
Fourth, he’s working closely with state and local leaders to coordinate response plans.
Finally, he is asking lawmakers to expedite the bill that would prevent agents from covering their faces. He is also focused on legislation that would prohibit individuals who are not law enforcement officers from making, providing, or possessing badges or other law enforcement insignia.
Not a single Republican lawmaker in Washington voted for the face coverings bill. KIRO 7 is reaching out to those lawmakers to understand why they voted against it.
©2026 Cox Media Group
