The Washington State Attorney General’s office has filed a lawsuit against Adams County and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for violating the Keep Washington Working Act as well as assisting the federal government in immigration raids. Attorney General Nick Brown alleges that the Adams County Sheriff’s Office unlawfully held people in custody based on immigration status, aided the federal government in questioning people in custody and shared the personal information of Washington State residents without their consent.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday, March 10. However, the conflict between Adams County and the AG has been occurring since 2022. In a letter to Sheriff Dale Wagner on Nov. 22, 2022, the AG’s office, then headed by Governor Bob Ferguson, outlines at least 212 violations of the Keep Washington Working Act by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to the lawsuit by the AG’s office, the Northwest Immigration Rights Project also filed a lawsuit against the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County, Corporal Evan Armstrong and Sheriff Dale Wagner alleging that they unlawfully detained Serafin Rangel Sambrano for immigration enforcement purposes.
Wagner is a passionate supporter of the U.S. Constitution and what it stands for, having signed a petition to protect Americans’ First and Second Amendment rights and refusing to enforce Initiative 1639, which aimed to increase the legal age of possession for semi-automatic rifles. On March 10, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office released a statement refuting the AG’s allegations and promising that they will keep working to protect their communities from criminal activity. America First Legal, the nonprofit organization with whom the Sheriff’s Office collaborated to uphold federal immigration policies, is defending Adams County against what they call “unlawful sanctuary state laws.”
The AFL was founded by Stephen Miller and Gene Hamilton, with a mission to protect Americans’ fundamental rights from “corrupt special interests, big-tech titans, fake news media, and liberal Washington politicians.” Both Miller and Hamilton have ties to the Trump Administration. Miller was a Senior Advisor to Trump during his first term and Hamilton authored a portion of the infamous Project 2025. During Trump’s first stint in office, Miller played a significant role in shaping immigration policy and is credited for the Trump Administration’s decision to limit the number of refugees entering the United States. In Trump’s second term, Miller is serving as deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security Advisor.
On Facebook, Adams County residents have come out in support of Sheriff Wagner, thanking the Sheriff for holding his ground against the AG’s office.
