ICE accessed driver data from DOL to make arrests in WA: Report

Well, there's more scrutiny on ICE obtaining data from our state's agencies. A new University of Washington study shows it's continuing to tap driver data from the Department of Licensing. FOX 13's Sam Campbell is live in the newsroom with more. Sam, good morning. What did this study find? Good morning, Erin. This study compared Washington to Maryland, New York, and Minnesota, and the researchers say our state is lagging behind those three, leaving non-citizens exposed on the road, and that's despite state policies to protect them. All this as federal authorities say they will continue to, quote, flood the zone, end quote, into sanctuary cities like Seattle. UW's article online says in part, quote, while Washington's sanctuary law forbids state agencies from sharing data with ICE or CBP for purposes of civil immigration enforcement, the data presented here shows that actions taken here to curtail federal agents' access to DMV data have been ineffective, end quote. So how are the agents getting a hold of the data? Well, researchers found four main pathways, but the study lists one source in particular, more than 100 times. It's called Inlets, and it's a nonprofit firm that shares driver data to law enforcement agencies across state lines. It's what state troopers, among others, will use when they pull you over and type in your information. UW says that's a problem because the state previously thought that was solved. They apparently decided that requiring ICE and the border patrol to sign statements promising not to use it for civil immigration enforcement was enough. Well, it's not enough. As of today, the UW Center for Human Rights has documented 356 incidents of arrests carried out on our streets and highways following federal agents querying the DOL for our data. Hundreds of data breaches they say they've confirmed where sanctuary policies are effectively failing in practice and researchers expect this trend to accelerate. This as the federal immigration authorities say they will continue to flood the zone again into places like Seattle. In the newsroom, Sam Campbell, Fox 13 News.