California and Washington Propose Banning Former ICE Agents From Public Jobs

Lawmakers in California and Washington are advancing legislation to prohibit former federal and state agents from holding public sector positions. In California, Anamarie Ávila Farías introduced Assembly Bill 1627, which would disqualify individuals who worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) between September 1, 2025, and January 20, 2029, from becoming police officers, teachers, or administrators in public K-12 and higher education systems. The bill also targets employees of the Alabama and Georgia Departments of Corrections who served between January 1, 2020, and January 1, 2026.

These measures follow the fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Other California proposals include the "No Kings Act," which passed the state Senate to simplify lawsuits against federal agents for constitutional violations, and efforts by Representative Eric Swalwell to ban ICE agents from all state jobs. Additionally, Assemblymen Matt Haney and Alex Lee proposed taxing profits from private ICE detention centers and ending tax breaks for ICE contractors.

In Washington, Representative Tarra Simmons introduced House Bill 2641, known as the "ICE Out Act of 2026." This bill would prevent state and local agencies from hiring individuals who served as sworn ICE officers on or after January 20, 2025. While proponents argue these bans protect community trust, Republican critics in Washington warn the policies could exacerbate police staffing shortages and unfairly target employees regardless of individual misconduct.