Here’s why Pierce County Sheriff won’t hire non-citizens as deputies
Mar 31, 2025, 11:30 AM
Senate Bill 5068 allows non-citizens, who are legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law, to be eligible for employment with law enforcement agencies. This bill, supported by both parties, aims to address the statewide shortage of police officers.
However, Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank has expressed his opposition to hiring non-citizens. He cites concerns about their ability to carry firearms and the thoroughness of background checks. Swank also doubts that this bill will significantly impact law enforcement staffing.
“I do not want to have police officers who are not citizens enforcing the laws of our country or of our state against people who are citizens. That’s what it comes down to,” Sheriff Swank explained on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “I don’t know how you can look at it and say, this non citizen—and they could be a great person—is going to arrest the citizen of America under these laws. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
It’s unclear if DACA recipients can carry firearms as cops
Swank notes that not all non-citizens, such as those under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), can legally carry firearms. DACA recipients are generally prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under federal law.
DACA recipients are generally prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under federal law.
However, according to a Biden-era interpretation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms took a position that DACA recipients “can possess duty firearms and ammunition as part of their official law enforcement officer duties.” But that position may not hold under the Trump administration.
“What do you do if they can’t carry a firearm? They can’t be police officers then? Or do you just give them a firearm and let them violate federal law?” Swank asked.
He also raised concerns about the additional scrutiny or legal liability if a non-citizen officer used deadly force. Would a consulate get involved, and what would that mean?
Concerns over background checks
Swank emphasized his concerns over the background check process.
He conducts thorough background checks for potential deputies, but he said it’s problematic if someone comes from a foreign country, as they can’t verify their history in their country of origin.
“I’m all for people that are here legally, that are working to join the military, to become a citizen that way. I’m all for all the other jobs for them to have, except to be in law enforcement, arresting United States citizens,” Swank said.
Help with staffing? Not a chance
The Pierce County Sheriff also rejects the state legislature’s claim that this bill will help with staffing. He argues that there are not enough non-citizens in Washington to significantly impact the staffing crisis in law enforcement agencies.
“The reason why it’s hard to hire law enforcement officers in Washington state is because of the laws passed in Olympia that make it so problematic for deputies and officers, where they are afraid that if they do something, use force on somebody, they’ll be looked at as, ‘Maybe we should charge that deputy or officer with a crime?’ That’s why we’re having difficulty hiring people,” Swank noted.
He said it’s already challenging to find qualified officers from the general American population. Most Americans, he notes, aren’t qualified to be officers. Using a smaller population size won’t suddenly produce more qualified candidates.
Advice for non-citizens interested in law enforcement jobs in Washington state
Swank says he’s received mostly positive feedback on his position. Most Washingtonians, he said, didn’t even know this bill was being considered. He also clarified that if a non-citizen becomes an American citizen, qualified applicants will have a place in the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff offered advice for DACA recipients who aspire to be police officers.
“I know it’s laborious to become a citizen, but do what you can become a citizen if you want to serve, and you ultimately want to be in law enforcement. I was in the military. Join the military, do a couple years there, become a citizen there, and then come join the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. We’d love to have you here, but you need to be a citizen,” he said.
Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
