SB5068 amends statutes governing employment in law-enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys' offices, and other government positions. It replaces previous eligibility requirements with a broad language allowing employment of any person "legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law," including illegal aliens with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.
The Washington State House of Representatives passed SB5068 on March 6, 2026 by a vote of 62 to 33. 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 positions involving the use of deadly force, arrests, criminal prosecution, and other core sovereign functions of government. Additionally, noncitizens legally in the United States should not be authorized to obtain these positions. Rather than pursue a blatantly unconstitutional and anti-American policy that erodes both the rule of law, public trust, and the value of citizenship, Washington should use its powers reserved under the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment to end the crisis of illegal migration and provide for the public safety.
