By Caleb McGever | FāVS News Reporter
Amid growing fears of ICE impersonations, about 50 Spokane residents packed Nuestras Raíces Centro Comunitario on Thursday to watch Gov. Bob Ferguson sign two bills targeting federal law enforcement accountability.
Ferguson signed the bills in person at El Centro De La Raza in Seattle while Spokane community members gathered for a simultaneous watch party on the East Side of the state.
Nuestras Raíces, which hosted and provided snacks and drinks for attendees, has offices in Spokane and Othello and aims to serve the Hispanic/Latine community in the Inland Northwest.
Attendees included Rep. Natasha Hill, Spokane City Council members Paul Dillon and Kitty Klitzke, and several leaders of local community organizations.
What bills were signed into law?
The two new laws establish stricter guidelines regarding law enforcement uniforms in Washington.
Senate Bill 5855, which passed through the Washington legislature without any votes from Republicans, prohibits federal law enforcement from wearing masks while interacting with the public and on duty. The bill includes exceptions for health, safety-related situations and undercover work.
House Bill 2165 makes it a gross misdemeanor to impersonate a state or federal peace officer.
Ferguson said a rise in Immigration and Customs Enforcement impersonations and a lack of accountability for ICE agents wearing masks prompted the need for both laws.
Spokane’s bill signing watch party
The event began with remarks from Hill, Dillon, Washington State Office of Equity pro-equity consultant Naghmana Sherazi, Manzanita House Executive Director Pat Castaneda and Nuestras Raíces Executive Director Fernanda Mazcot.
Castaneda noted that some Spokane community members traveled to Olympia for Refugee and Immigrant Advocacy Day during House debates on HB 2165.
After opening remarks, attendees mingled and ate before the live stream began.
Luc Jasmin III, Eastern Washington’s regional outreach representative for the Office of the Governor, led the watch party.
“We’ve been thinking about ways to just make this experience more accessible throughout our state. And kudos to Governor Ferguson and the team for allowing us to try something like this, and obviously, by the turnout, it’s meaningful to folks,” Jasmine III said.
He said that building community from both sides of the state was also important because the stakes are high for everyone.
“These communities have to stick together and look after each other and make sure that accurate information is being shared,” he said.
How do attendees feel about the bill?
Patty Osborne, vice president of Educate, Entertain & Get Stuff Done, said it was her first watch party.
“It’s wonderful, I’ve never done a watch party before, so it was a great new experience for me, and to be amongst a community of supporters and celebrating milestones.”
Osborne said she attended to support the organization and honor progress on public safety, adding that she would have gone to Seattle if she could.
Sherazi said the watch party was important for engaging Spokane in the legislative process.
“Spokane is the second largest city in the state of Washington. We can do a lot when it comes to passing legislation,” she said.
She added that while the bills address public safety, they don’t go far enough for all marginalized communities, including Muslims, Jewish people and LGBTQ+ people.
“You need to be more specific to be able to help particular communities who are being targeted, who are marginalized, and we have no one to turn to other than our government,” Sherazi said. “Who else is coming out of the woodwork to help us? No one.”
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