SPOKANE (AP) — Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich has said he won’t follow a new state law that prohibits local officials from helping federal agents enforce some immigration laws.
Knezovich, a Republican, also contended Monday that Gov. Inslee should be arrested for obstruction of justice after signing the law last month.
Knezovich said the new law sets up Washington as a “sanctuary state” and would prevent his officers from working with federal officials in preventing crime committed by people in the country illegally. His declaration came after he made similar comments to Fox News last week.
The law new gives immigrants certain employment rights regardless of citizenship status. A person cannot be arrested or detained solely for determining their immigration status or held on a civil immigration warrant, the new law said.