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Bill

SB 6361

Creating a firewall against federal authorities misusing driver, vehicle, and other personal information for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chapman and 1 co-sponsor

Washington bill SB 6361 blocks state agencies from sharing driver and vehicle data with federal authorities for civil immigration enforcement actions.

First reading, referred to Transportation.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 6361

Legislative bill overview

SB 6361 would prohibit state agencies from sharing driver's license, vehicle registration, and other personal information with federal authorities for civil immigration enforcement purposes. The bill creates legal restrictions on how Washington state data can be used by federal immigration agencies, while presumably allowing information sharing for other federal law enforcement activities.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects millions of Washington residents by determining whether their state-held personal data can be used in civil immigration enforcement actions like deportations. The practical impact includes whether undocumented immigrants, mixed-status families, and documented immigrants can obtain driver's licenses without fear that their information will be shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for enforcement purposes.

Potential points of contention

  • Federal preemption concerns: Whether states have constitutional authority to restrict federal access to information, and whether this conflicts with federal immigration authority and interstate data-sharing agreements already in place
  • Public safety trade-offs: Debate over whether preventing data sharing for civil immigration enforcement could inadvertently shield individuals wanted for serious crimes from federal detection
  • Practical enforcement challenges: How to distinguish between civil immigration enforcement (prohibited) and criminal immigration enforcement (potentially allowed), and how to monitor/enforce compliance by agencies

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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