Lynnwood Mayor and Police Chief release joint statement on false allegations of LPD involvement in ICE activity
LYNNWOOD—In a joint message released on Monday, Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst and Police Chief Cole Langdon reaffirmed the city’s commitment to welcoming all community members regardless of origin, amid concerns over ICE activities and recent violence against protesters in Minneapolis. Mayor Hurst and Chief Langdon dispelled rumors about Lynnwood police involvement, and pledged adherence to […]
Democrats’ no-mask bill is unenforceable, distracts from real issues
Whether officials in our state like it or not, federal officers have a responsibility to enforce federal laws. That doesn’t change just because the enforcement efforts have unforeseen consequences, such as the tragic deaths of two people in Minnesota over a recent 17-day period. Many in the public have seen the disturbing videos of the […]
WA Senate passes ban on police face coverings
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—The Washington state Senate voted Wednesday to ban law enforcement from covering their faces in response to growing concerns over masked federal immigration agents. Senate Bill 5855 would cover local, state and federal law enforcement, with limited exceptions for uses like personal protective equipment and undercover or SWAT operations. The proposal is sure to […]
SNAP vendor agrees to not disclose SNAP recipient data to USDA after AG Brown lawsuit
SEATTLE—Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has secured an agreement with a state vendor, Fidelity Information Services, to protect the private, personal data of more than 1 million Washington residents who receive federal food assistance benefits. Its lawsuit against the company has been dismissed. “When someone in Washington signs up for help putting food on the […]
Ferguson and Brown slam administrative warrants, vow to partner with anti-ICE groups
OLYMPIA— In a joint press conference on January 26, Governor Bob Ferguson (D) and Attorney General Nick Brown (D) announced pre-emptive steps to hold “ICE agents accountable” in Washington state and to “protect Washingtonians” from Civil Rights violations. Ferguson and Brown also announced a letter they penned to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging her to […]
Senator Murray condemns ‘horrific’ ICE Dog attack on Vancouver father
VANCOUVER—United States Senator Patty Murray on Friday, December 5, denounced the November 14 arrest of Vancouver resident Wilmer Toledo-Martinez as a “violent and unwarranted assault,” releasing graphic photos of deep gashes across the 28-year-old father’s body and demanding his immediate release from federal immigration detention. Toledo-Martinez is married to a U.S. citizen and has three […]
Washington lawmakers want to regulate license plate readers
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Washington state lawmakers next year hope to rein in law enforcement’s use of automated license plate readers amid revelations federal immigration authorities are using the data. The readers are mounted everywhere from street poles to police patrol cars. They take pictures of vehicles and use artificial intelligence to analyze the data. Police can […]
Somebody’s watching me: Flock versus red light cameras in Lynnwood
LYNNWOOD—In reaction to several members of the community voicing their concerns that the City of Lynnwood’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology may have been accessed for immigration-related queries at its October 24 meeting, the Lynnwood Police Department (LPD) announced last week that it temporarily paused the law enforcement tool known as Flock Safey cameras citing public […]
Lynnwood’s Flock Cameras Under Fire: Boosting Public Safety or Eroding Privacy in the Fight Against Crime?
LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood Police Department on Friday, October 24, issued a statement to clarify and “address potential misconceptions” of its use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology in response to a recent report by the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. The report titled, “Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems and Immigration Enforcement in Washington State,” […]
Hundreds rally for undocumented immigrant protections
OLYMPIA—More than 500 people braved the cold with their monarch butterfly signs – symbols of immigration, freedom, and movement – to support undocumented immigrant rights during a rally on Thursday, January 30 in Olympia, organized by the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN). Brenda Rodríguez López, executive director of WAISN, said she wasn’t afraid despite warnings […]
