Office of Law Enforcement Oversight: Community-driven recommendations aim to improve Sheriff’s Office response to federal immigration enforcement

Last week, the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) provided the King County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) with seven community-informed recommendations in a report on responding to increased federal immigration enforcement within the County. 

The recommendations aim to strengthen the Sheriff’s Office’s current policy to be more responsive to community needs, expand community education and outreach, and promote understanding by clarifying the existing policy language.

OLEO partnered with The Arc of King County, Congolese Integration Network, Eastside For All, Look2Justice, People Power Washington, and Urban Family to create this report. OLEO also consulted with the Sheriff’s Office to clarify its current practices.

“OLEO is grateful to its organizational partners and all the community members who participated in our outreach efforts,” said OLEO Director Tamer Abouzeid.

“The feedback we received from the online survey and group listening sessions was invaluable and lead to recommendations that help the Sheriff’s Office be more responsive to community needs.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests at community sites, like schools and workplaces, have dramatically increased since 2025. As ICE arrests have intensified, community members have formed coalitions to protect immigrants and refugees. But there continues to be confusion and uncertainty about the role of local law enforcement, like the Sheriff’s Office, in responding to federal immigration enforcement.

“It’s important for the Sheriff’s Office’s policies to reflect what communities need in the face of increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement,” said Angela Ngiangi Diansasila of the Congolese Integration Network, a partner non-profit based in South King County serving immigrants and refugees.

“These recommendations help the Sheriff’s Office achieve more with their immigration policies and better protect vulnerable immigrant and refugee groups.”

“Through our outreach, community members and advocates shared with us how intensified immigration enforcement has made them fearful of contacting law enforcement or other public agencies for assistance, making it crucial for the King County Sheriff’s Office to expand its outreach to address community fears in accessible ways,” said Angelica Maria Gonzalez Graham from Eastside For All, a partner organization that seeks to ensure racial, economic, and social justice for communities of color.

“The report includes recommendations for how the Sheriff’s Office can share information with communities that need it and clarify the Sheriff’s Office’s role in supporting communities targeted by harmful immigration enforcement practices.”

Community-based organizations that are interested in partnering with OLEO to deliver equitable, collaborative recommendations as part of future projects can complete this form or reach out to OLEOpolicy@kingcounty.gov.

Resources: Full report here.