Lawmakers mull limit on out-of-state National Guard access in WA
As the Trump administration pursues its hard-line immigration agenda, Democratic lawmakers in Washington are trying to take steps to protect immigrant communities in the state.
Rep. Sharlett Mena is sponsoring House Bill 1321, which would limit other states’ National Guard troops from deploying in Washington without the governor’s permission — unless they are mobilized by the president.
“I think the last thing we want to see is folks feeling scared in their communities or feeling like they’re going to get rounded up at work or at school,” Mena said.
The bill is a response to 26 Republican governors releasing a joint statement in December saying they were “ready to utilize every tool at our disposal — whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard” to support President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
https://www.cascadepbs.org/briefs/2025/01/lawmakers-mull-limit-out-state-national-guard-access-wa