SB5068 expands eligibility for employment as firefighters, prosecutors, and law-enforcement officers across state agencies. It ensures that not just U.S. citizens, but anyone legally authorized to work in the United States, such as visa holders and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, can be hired for these public-safety roles.
The Washington State Senate passed SB5068 on February 5, 2025 by a vote of 49 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because persons who enter the United States illegally—which, by definition, is a crime—ought not to be permitted sanctuary or residency in Washington, let alone be considered eligible for appointment as local police officers and deputy sheriffs. Rather than pursue a blatantly unconstitutional and anti-American policy that erodes both the rule of law and the value of citizenship, Washington should use its sovereign powers, under the U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment, to end the crisis of illegal migration and provide for the public safety.
