Seattle corrections department investigated for hiring illegal guards

State and local authorities are investigating the Seattle-area corrections department after a tipster alleged the county was hiring unskilled immigrants as prison guards, according to a complaint filed with Washington state officials.

“Individuals were hired while only having temporary work visas and, in some cases, with expired work permits,” the anonymous tipster wrote to the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) regarding hiring in King County. “These hirings are in direct violation of the legal requirements set forth by state law.”

The tipster was identified only as an officer with the King County Adult and Juvenile Detention Department.

The department said in a statement that it was actively investigating the complaint and denied that any of the guards were illegal immigrants, although some appeared to have failed to meet legal eligibility requirements.

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At the time of filing on August 27, the whistleblower claimed that the violations had been occurring and were ongoing for “several years.” The complaint was first reported by. SeattleRed host Jason Rantz This week.

Washington law requires all peace officers in the state to have their immigration status verified and be American citizens, lawful permanent residents or beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

Read what the whistleblower wrote complaint:

The law does not allow the hiring of temporary visa holders or illegal immigrants who are not covered by DACA.

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“All of the officers in question are authorized to practice in the United States, are highly trained for their roles, have gone through an extensive criminal background review process, and are in good standing with King County,” the King County Adult and Juvenile Detention Department said in a statement.

Citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the case, the SeattleRed report put the number at more than 100 corrections officers. However, the scope of the matter was not immediately clear.

A person walks past the King County Jail in downtown Seattle, Washington, USA, September 17, 2020. (REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson)

The county said the “total number of corrections officers whose fitness for employment is questionable is well below what has been reported in the media.”

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“However, it appears that King County may have improperly implemented a requirement under Washington State law that limits the categories of workers eligible to serve as correctional officers in our adult jail facilities,” a spokesperson said. “King County takes this potential oversight seriously and is actively investigating and taking remedial action where necessary.”

The state’s education commission told Fox News Digital that when training newly hired correctional officers, it is also the responsibility of hiring agencies to vet candidates. But after learning of the whistleblower complaint, county officials told the commission that four of the new hires did not meet eligibility requirements and were removed from the training program.

A pedestrian crosses the street near the King County Jail in downtown Seattle, Washington, USA, September 17, 2020. (REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson)

“The agency is aware of the complaint and we are conducting an open investigation into King County’s hiring practices,” WSCJTC spokesman David Quinlan told Fox News Digital.

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The county is cooperating with the investigation and will decertify anyone the state finds does not meet legal qualification requirements, he added.

King County is the largest in the state and includes Seattle and some of its suburbs.