In response to increased immigration detentions across the state, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and other state lawmakers have introduced the Immigrant Worker Protection Act for the 2026 session.

The law would require employers to notify employees within 72 hours when the federal government requests their employment eligibility information, including immigration status.

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-Seattle, said the act would provide necessary information to workers and employers, giving them time to gather documents and make sure they're prepared before immigration officers come knocking.

"What we've seen is that people are afraid to go out of their homes, and it is creating havoc in our economy," she said. "These workers are human beings. They deserve to have dignity and respect regardless of their immigration status."

She added that small business owners support the act because it clarifies their rights, reminding employers they can deny federal agents access to private areas without a warrant, and may only share personal data with a subpoena or judicial warrant.

More than 1,000 immigration arrests were made in Washington in 2025.

Opponents of the bill have said it would hinder federal immigration enforcement, but Saldaña countered that the goal is to make sure workers know their rights and prevent racial discrimination.

"U.S. citizens, because of the color of their skin, are being kidnapped from masked individuals that have not shown that they have any right to be taking these people into custody," she said.

The proposed act would build upon previous legislation, such as the Keep Washington Working Act of 2019, which limits local and state law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

This story was originally published by Washington News Service, a bureau of Public News Service, a national newswire with a local focus with state-level, public interest news.