OLYMPIA – Washington Attorney General Nick Brown sued Adams County on Monday, accusing it of breaking state law by aiding federal immigration enforcement.

Brown says the small Eastern Washington county is illegally holding people based solely on their immigration status, helping federal immigration agents question people in custody and sharing confidential personal information — including birthdates, addresses, driver’s license numbers and fingerprints.

Brown writes that the county has been violating the law since 2022, but broke off talks with the state after President Trump was inaugurated for his second term. Last month the county retained lawyers from America First Legal, an organization founded by Trump aide Stephen Miller.

The lawsuit seeks to block Adams County and its sheriff from continuing to aid federal immigration enforcement.

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, in a prepared statement, said they would “continue to do our jobs” and thanked America First Legal.

Wagner wrote, “The state’s restrictions attempt to tie the hands of law enforcement, making it harder to cooperate with federal agencies that help keep dangerous individuals off our streets.”