OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Washington’s new governor is taking action to support children as the federal crackdown on immigration continues.

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed an executive order on Monday, Jan. 27, creating a rapid response team to assist families in which a parent has been deported or detained.

It came in response to President Trump’s intent to carry out mass deportations, which Ferguson says will have massive ripple effects.

“It means ripping families apart, it means kids losing their parents, it means businesses losing their workers, it means communities being significantly altered,” Ferguson said before signing the order. “We need to be prepared if this were to come to pass.”

The rapid response team will explore policies to minimize the potential harm children suffer from being separated from their families. It will also work with local school districts to help students whose learning may be impacted by the disruptions and to make sure there is still someone to care for them.

The announcement comes after Blaine Border Patrol reported that its agents helped arrest six illegal immigrants on Sunday.

Several of those arrests took place in Ferndale, Everson and Maple Falls.

Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley said last week that state law prevents state and local police from pursuing charges against a person based solely on immigration status.