Immigrants Rights Groups Call On Washington DOL Head To Resign

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A group of immigrant-rights advocates is calling for the head of Washington’s Department of Licensing to step down.

Director Pat Kohler heads DOL, the agency that came under scrutiny last month for handing over people’s personal and citizenship information to federal immigration authorities.

That conflicted with an executive order from Gov. Jay Inslee to NOT help federal agencies enforce immigration laws.

Today Latino Civic Alliance and other groups asked Kohler to resign.

Nina Martinez is the alliance’s Board Chair.

“The reason is that as the leader of a state agency we rely on, she did not and nor did her leadership team comply with this executive order,” Martinez said.

In response to the call for her resignation, Kohler says she remains deeply committed to implementing changes to ensure customer information is safeguarded.

And a spokesperson for Inslee says they’re monitoring what’s happening at the licensing agency.

Copyright 2018 KUOW

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