Adams County Sheriff Testifies Before House Judiciary Committee

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner testified at a hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security & Enforcement on Wednesday.

During the proceedings, which were dubbed "Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Magnet for Migrants, Cover for Criminals," Wagner strongly criticized sanctuary policies, and underscored the roadblocks he claims they create for his and other law enforcement agencies in Washington State.

“While proponents claim sanctuary policies protect vulnerable populations, they also shield repeat offenders who exploit the system,” stated Wagner, who continued to say "criminal organizations, including drug cartels and human traffickers, take advantage of these policies knowing they face minimal risk of deportation, even when they are caught committing additional crimes."

Wagner went on to explain his beliefs that sanctuary policies also harm the public's perception of his agency. "These sanctuary policies create confusion and fear among law-abiding residents and citizens and the public is misled into believing local law enforcement arrests people solely based on their immigration status. This is not true and it's not true in my county."

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The Adams County Sheriff's Office was sued by Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown earlier this year for allegedly violating the state's sanctuary law, which is known as the Keep Washington Working Act, that places limitations on local law enforcement's ability to work with federal immigration enforcement officials.

Wagner told the subcommittee that the lawsuit has no basis in fact and is only being motivated by politics. "This lawsuit is not about justice or protecting communities," said Wagner. "It's about enforcing a political agenda that restricts law enforcement's ability to cooperate with federal authorities."

During the hearing, Wagner also outlined other constraints his office is facing due to the state's sanctuary policies. "The policies create barriers that prevent victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Sheriffs are sworn to uphold the law and protect public safety, however, sanctuary policies place us in a legal bind, forcing us to navigate conflicting state and federal laws. Instead of focusing on crime prevention, we are caught in unnecessary legal battles that are wasting tax dollars and divert resources from critical public safety efforts."

Sheriff Wagner also called for an end to the misalignment of sanctuary policies at the state and federal level, and for the continuing support of policies which solely seek to protect the citizens of his county, state, and nation. "The solution is not to pit state and federal authorities against one another but to ensure that public safety remains the top priority for everyone," said Wagner. "Law enforcement should be allowed to do its job without political interference. We must defend the constitutional authority of sheriffs and enforce the laws that protect our citizens."

Wagner's testimony was followed by questions from the subcommittee, including its ranking Democratic member - U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington State's 7th Congressional District, who grilled the Sheriff about his agency's release of personal information to federal immigration agents and the amount of time inmates have been detained at the Adams County Jail on behalf of federal officials.

Republican U.S. Rep. Jefferson Van Drew of New Jersey also probed Wagner for more details about the lawsuit his office is currently facing from Washington State, which prompted the Sheriff to detail some of his personal feelings regarding the issue of race and sanctuary policies. "We're a small community and I do have the trust of my community. Two-thirds of the population in my sheriff's office is Hispanic. I have guys that less than five or six years ago who were in the country illegally, got their citizenship, and they now work for me. So I understand the process and I understand how these people are being affected, but this fear-mongering is hurting our community, which has a thirty-four percent Hispanic population, because we fit the mold for a political agenda."

U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a Spokane Republican who sits on the full House Judiciary Committee but not the subcommittee, also questioned Wagner during the hearing.

To watch the full proceedings, click here.