SEATTLE — Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown have issued a strong condemnation of recent federal immigration enforcement actions following the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota.

During a news conference held Monday morning in the Governor’s Conference Room at the Capitol in Olympia, Ferguson described the events as “un-American” and “outrageous in the extreme.”

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"ICE is, to be blunt, completely and totally out of control," Ferguson said.

The controversy stems from the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, and Renee Good, also 37, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis in January.

These incidents have sparked national outrage and protests, including in Washington.

"We are focused on preparing, to the fullest extent possible, for a similar escalation by ICE, against our will, here in Washington state," the governor stated during the conference.

Ferguson further emphasized the need for political and community preparedness against potential escalations by ICE in Washington state.

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"I cannot stop ICE from being in our state," he said. "But we are not passive bystanders. We are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to mitigate against the harm inflicted by ICE," said Ferguson, "And if ICE escalates their presence in our state, we will need even more Washingtonians to step up and help."

Attorney General Nick Brown said public reporting is essential and pointed to the counter-narrative after the fatal shooting death of Pretti. The Department of Homeland Security said border agents acted in self-defense, but conflicting accounts from eyewitnesses, video evidence, and local politicians have called that narrative into question.

In the joint news conference, Ferguson went on to outline five steps the government is taking to counter federal immigration enforcement:

1. Criticizing the internal memo instruction ICE agents to enter homes without a warrant, Ferguson said he and AG Brown sent a letter to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem outlining how that memo is unconstitutional. The letter states that if ICE attempts any such unconstitutional actions in Washington, the state government would use every legal option available to fight the federal government.
2. The Chief of the Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will begin attending Ferguson's cabinet meetings to optimize responding to threats against immigrants. And the recent hiring of a senior advisor to work specifically on immigrant and refugee policy issues.
3. Mentioning Minnesota Gov. Walz's deployment of the National Guard in response to the killing of Pretti, Ferguson said he will take "whatever steps are necessary" to keep Washingtonians safe.
4. State and local partners are having ongoing conversations to coordinate tools and response plans.
5. Ferguson has asked that Senate Bill 5855, which would restrict when law enforcement officers can cover their faces while interacting with the public, be expedited in the legislature.

Ferguson also said he, Brown, and the state government would also legally push to hold individual ICE agents accountable.

Senate Bill 5855 would prohibit local, state, and federal officers — including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — from wearing masks that obscure their identities, with limited exceptions for undercover work and certain tactical operations. Supporters argue the measure is needed to ensure accountability and public trust, particularly following reports of masked immigration enforcement actions, while opponents argue it would endanger law enforcement officers.

The Governor said he has met with Adjutant General Welsh to discuss potential scenarios for deploying Washington's National Guard to keep Washingtonians safe in the event of an ICE escalation.

However, opponents like Republican State Rep. and WAGOP Chair Jim Walsh criticize the criticism of immigration enforcement and federal agents.

"My concern is an individual might hear this rhetoric from the governor and decide to physically confront a federal law enforcement agent in the midst of executing an immigration warrant, and that's when people get shot," Walsh said.

He called the Monday news conference 'troubling' regarding the governor's comments on immigration. "And some of these tracks back to his social media posts of the last few days, where he was encouraging people to get active and not sit there, and calling authoritarian drift in our public policy. This is inflammatory language," Walsh said.

He also challenged the Governor and Attorney General, calling out what they describe as an unconstitutional memo from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that directs ICE agents to use force to enter homes without judicial warrants.

"They've always been able to operate with an admit what's called an administrative warrant. Now you can argue on the fine points of law here, but that is not a new thing," Walsh continued.