Governor Ferguson Prepares Washington for Potential ICE Escalation After Minnesota Shootings

The comments follow the January shootings of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, and Renee Good, also 37, who were killed by ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. The incidents have prompted demonstrations nationwide, including in Washington state.ICE.”

“I cannot stop ICE from being in our state,” Ferguson 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.”

Attorney General Nick Brown underscored the need for public scrutiny, noting conflicting accounts of the Minnesota shooting. While the Department of Homeland Security said agents acted in self-defense, eyewitness testimony, video evidence, and local officials have questioned that claim.

Republican state Rep. Jim Walsh, chair of the Washington State Republican Party, criticized Ferguson’s remarks as “troubling” and “inflammatory,” warning they could encourage dangerous confrontations between civilians and federal law enforcement officers.

Walsh also pushed back on claims that a Department of Homeland Security memo directing ICE agents to enter homes without judicial warrants represents a new policy, arguing that the use of administrative warrants has long been standard practice.

Ferguson outlined several steps his administration is taking, including legal action against the memo, enhanced coordination on immigrant policy, contingency planning with state and local partners, and support for Senate Bill 5855, which would limit when law enforcement officers may obscure their identities. He also confirmed discussions with military leaders about potential National Guard deployment, raising questions about how such a move would intersect with federal authority.