The Department of Justice has joined a lawsuit defending Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner after he defied the state’s sanctuary policies to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X that the Trump DOJ is “in the fight in State of Washington v. Adams County. Under @AGPamBondi’s leadership, we’re standing up for every American and Adams County’s right to work with @ICEgov.”
“States can’t block federal immigration enforcement,” he wrote. “Not on our watch.”
Last month, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit against Adams County, claiming the sheriff’s office is “illegally collaborating with federal immigration officials and aiding the Trump administration’s efforts to enlist local officials for federal civil immigration work.”
The lawsuit alleges that the sheriff’s office has “illegally held people in custody based only on their immigration status, helped federal agents question people in custody, and routinely given immigration officials confidential personal information of hundreds of Washingtonians,” a press release on the filing reads.
Sheriff Wagner responded to the lawsuit by stating that his “top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our residents,” calling the filing a “disappointing attempt to hinder our ability to uphold public safety.”
“Our deputies take an oath to protect our communities from criminal activity, regardless of where it originates. The claim that we are engaging in ‘illegal federal immigration enforcement’ misrepresents the reality of law enforcement in Adams County,” he said. “We do not enforce federal immigration law, but we also will not turn a blind eye to criminal activity—no matter who commits it.”
