The incident occurred in March 2023, when Adams County deputies arrested Rangel-Sembrano in Othello for suspected possession of a stolen vehicle. Rangel-Sembrano claimed he had permission to use the vehicle, and the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office later declined to file charges, ordering his release.
Despite this, Rangel-Sembrano alleges that deputies continued to hold him and transported him over 70 miles to Ritzville, where he was handed over to U.S. Border Patrol for suspected immigration violations. His lawsuit argues this violated Washington’s 2019 law prohibiting local law enforcement from engaging in civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), representing Rangel-Sembrano, contends the sheriff’s actions blatantly violated both state and federal law. “A local police officer or sheriff’s office is no more authorized to investigate or arrest someone based on suspected immigration status than they are to investigate or arrest someone for failure to properly file tax returns,” said Matt Adams, NWIRP legal director.