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In a move that could further aggravate efforts by the Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants, several Democratic state lawmakers are pushing forward a bill that would make it illegal for bail bond recovery agents鈥攁ka bounty hunters鈥攖o enforce civil immigration laws.

, sponsored by Senator Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, aims to keep bounty hunters in their lane and prevent them from moonlighting as immigration officers.

The bill, which had its first hearing in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Monday, would classify civil immigration enforcement as “unprofessional conduct” for bail bond agents and recovery agents. In other words, bounty hunters who try to play ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) could face fines, suspensions, or even lose their licenses.

鈥淵ou know, sometimes we drop a simple bill to do a simple thing,鈥� Senator Trudeau told the Senate committee during the bill鈥檚 hearing. 鈥淎nd this bill very simply clarifies what is within the bounds of the bail bonding profession licensed by the state of Washington.鈥�

Bounty hunters, not border patrol

The move comes after reports surfaced of a Tacoma-based bail bondsman allegedly boasting at a community event in Sunnyside that they were continuing to work with ICE, despite state policies intended to limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The Washington State Bail Agents Association has since clarified that the individual in question was not a licensed bail bondsman, but the incident still raised alarms.

Bail bond recovery agents are private contractors who track down people who have skipped bail. Their job is to bring fugitives back to face justice. Senator Trudeau wants to make it clear that bounty hunters in Washington are not here to enforce federal immigration laws.

鈥淭his is about ensuring people trust the processes that we put in place,鈥� Trudeau said. 鈥淭hey need to know that when they engage with the legal system, they will be treated properly and fairly.鈥�

At the Washington committee hearing, concerns were raised about the lack of formal training required for bail bond agents compared to law enforcement officers.

鈥淭o complete the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, you have to complete about 19 weeks or 700-plus hours,鈥� noted Senator Nikki Torres, R-Yakima Valley, who supports the bill. 鈥淔or bail bond recovery agents, it鈥檚 about 32 hours鈥� so they鈥檙e pretty much a glorified bill collector.鈥�

Under current law, bounty hunters in Washington are already restricted in several ways. They can鈥檛 impersonate police officers, misuse collateral, or fail to maintain proper records. The proposed legislation would add another restriction: they cannot use their role to execute civil immigration warrants or share a defendant鈥檚 immigration status outside of their business.

Supporters of the bill argue that civil immigration enforcement is strictly a federal matter and that bail bond agents should not be getting involved.

Protecting defendants鈥� rights

Another key provision in the bill would prevent bail bond agents from disclosing a defendant鈥檚 immigration status to outside parties. This measure is meant to ensure that people who are arrested and seeking bail aren鈥檛 further entangled in immigration proceedings just because a private contractor decided to act as an informant.

Immigrant rights groups, legal advocates, and faith leaders testified in favor of SB 5714, arguing that allowing bounty hunters to engage in immigration enforcement creates a climate of fear that discourages crime reporting and erodes trust in the justice system.

Kristen Ang, policy director for the Faith Action Network, told committee members that 鈥渋mmigration enforcement should remain with trained federal authorities, not private actors seeking profit.鈥�

Advocates also drew parallels between SB 5714 and Washington鈥檚 2020 鈥楥ourts Open to All Act,鈥� which barred court employees and government workers from sharing immigration information.

鈥淏y no means should the bail bond process provide a barrier to accessing courts because of fear of immigration repercussions,鈥� said Jason Lance of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Opposition and comparisons with other states聽

Opponents of the bill may argue that bounty hunters should be able to cooperate with law enforcement however they see fit.

While Washington state is considering legislation to prevent bounty hunters from picking up undocumented immigrants, other states are taking a markedly different approach. Notably, Mississippi and Missouri have introduced proposals that would empower bounty hunters to actively participate in immigration enforcement.

In Mississippi, House Bill 1484 aimed to establish the “Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program,” offering certified individuals a $1,000 reward for apprehending undocumented immigrants. This initiative sought to deputize private citizens to track and detain undocumented individuals, effectively placing a bounty on their heads. However, the bill faced significant legal and political challenges and ultimately failed to advance, missing the February 4, 2025, legislative deadline.

Similarly, Missouri lawmakers have proposed legislation that would allow bounty hunters to detain undocumented immigrants and offer financial incentives for tips leading to such arrests.

Trudeau emphasized that Washington has drawn a clear 鈥渓ine in the sand鈥� with Washington, D.C.

鈥淚n this Washington, we won鈥檛 tolerate any violations of state law and policy that we have passed to protect all Washington residents from inappropriate communication with ICE,鈥� Trudeau said.

A committee vote on the bill has been scheduled for Thursday, February 20th, at 10:30 a.m.