Washington state faces renewed pressure to restrict federal access to license data

Washington state officials have implemented multiple barriers to limit federal access to driver and vehicle data, but advocates argue gaps remain. The tension has intensified as federal immigration agencies continue to query state databases for enforcement purposes. This data exchange represents a critical intersection of state privacy controls and federal operational needs.

The push for stricter limits gained momentum after University of Washington researchers analyzed query logs. The Center for Human Rights at the university reported that agencies under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security searched state Department of Licensing data more than 1 million times between January and May 2026. The same study linked 356 arrests to federal license data queries between August 2025 and October 13, 2026.

State actions to restrict access began in late 2025. In November, Washington officials blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement from accessing the data. They later expanded these restrictions to Homeland Security Investigations. Between November 2025 and October 12, the Washington State Patrol blocked 174,000 search attempts. This total included 89,000 attempts by Customs and Border Protection, 45,000 by Homeland Security Investigations, and nearly 40,000 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Despite these blocks, federal agencies have found alternative routes to the data. Washington is one of 19 states that issue driver licenses regardless of immigration status. Unlike other states, Washington does not require warrants or court orders for federal agencies to access license data for civil immigration purposes. Brionna Aho, a spokesperson for Governor Bob Ferguson, said the state is reviewing options to require judicial warrants for civil immigration requests.

Aho noted that the team is analyzing what other states have done and what is lawful regarding judicial warrants. She stated that shutting off federal access entirely is not feasible due to public safety needs. The administration has also suspended nine search accounts associated with Customs and Border Protection and three accounts linked to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that were suspected of being used for immigration enforcement.

The state has modified its participation in the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, or Nlets. Washington blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement from searching the platform and stopped Customs and Border Protection from viewing photos of people searched in the state's Nlets system. A terms-of-use notice now informs data seekers that the information cannot be used for immigration enforcement. The state also suspended the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to renew tabs for license plates on undercover vehicles.

Lucía Vázquez Martínez, field director for Service Employees International Union 775, urged state officials to act. She said the state must slow down the mass deportation and detention machine by continuing to cut off access to Department of Licensing data. Governor Bob Ferguson stated his team has worked to limit Customs and Border Protection access while maintaining access necessary for public safety, such as human trafficking investigations.

Ferguson said the process will continue over the next two years as the administration adapts to federal actions. The Trump administration is currently suing Washington and other states over the policy of suspending tab renewals for undercover vehicles. Researchers argue that blocking individual accounts does not provide meaningful protection and that continued federal access violates the Keep Washington Working Act of 2019.