WA blocked over 100,000 license plate searches from feds, but immigration raids and vehicle arrests are still rampant

Soundside · Jul 30, 2026 · 11m

Here’s a number for you: 108,170. That is the number of times immigration enforcement has attempted to look up a Washington license plate number and been denied since November of last year.

That number comes from the state and it’s one that Governor Bob Ferguson has been touting, citing the value of guarding resident’s data from the federal government.

While the number seems high, does it mean a difference in enforcement actions?

Guest:

Gustavo Sagrero, KUOW’s Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW: WA has blocked over 100,000 federal attempts to…