Sunnyside officials say police will not assist ICE; pledge resources and outreach after enforcement activity

City Manager Mike Gonzales said Sunnyside will not assist federal immigration enforcement and pledged the city would work with community groups to provide information and services after recent enforcement activity in the city.

"Sunnyside will continue to stand by its position of not assisting ICE in these operations," City Manager Mike Gonzales said. "What we can control are our own actions and our commitment to our residents."

The announcement came at a press conference called after videos and social-media posts showed federal agents conducting operations in Sunnyside’s lower valley. Officials and community leaders said the activity has stirred fear among residents and disrupted daily life, and they described immediate steps the city and local organizations are taking to inform and protect residents.

Chief Layman, of the Sunnyside Police Department, told the gathering that police do not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or HSI and that a state statute provides the department’s framework. "The Sunnyside Police Department does not cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement or HSI," Chief Layman said. "It is actually a state law. It's RCW 1093-160 that was passed in 2019 that doesn't allow us to work with ICE ... We don't provide them information either." He added that department officers do not carry a federal commission and enforce state and local laws only.

Gonzales said the city does not have authority to stop federal agents from operating inside Sunnyside but emphasized the…