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WA leaders sue GEO Group over denied access to ICE facility
After Washington health officials have been denied entry to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma ten different times, the state is now pursuing legal action.
TACOMA, Wash. - Washington state officials filed a legal request Tuesday to force the GEO Group to allow state health inspectors into the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown announced the move during a press conference Tuesday, alleging the private prison operator has repeatedly violated state law.
What they're saying:
Ferguson stated that state health officials have attempted to enter the facility 10 times since 2023, but were turned away on every occasion.
"This is totally unacceptable," Ferguson said. "I’m sorry, but the GEO Group is not above the law."
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson discusses the state's legal request to allow health officials into the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Thousands of Complaints Reported
By the numbers:
The legal action follows a surge of reports regarding conditions inside the center. According to the governor, the state has received more than 3,500 complaints from detainees.
More than 25% of those complaints involve concerns over food, water, and air quality. Ferguson said detainees have reported food contaminated with worms, metal, string, and burnt plastic.
Other reports allege issues with general sanitation at the facility and a lack of adequate medical care.
The Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Allegations of Violence and Abuse
Dig deeper:
Beyond environmental concerns, the state's legal filing also brought up reports of criminal activity occurring within the facility's walls.
Ferguson said the state has received more than 100 complaints regarding assault. These include reports from detainees alleging they have been subjected to both physical and sexual abuse.
"People are being harmed in this facility and inaction is no longer acceptable," Attorney General Nick Brown said.
Nick Brown discusses allegations from detainees inside the Northwest ICE Processing Center. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The Legal Dispute Over Jurisdiction
The GEO Group, which operates the facility under a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), declined to comment on the lawsuit. The company directed all inquiries to ICE.
State officials argue that because the company chose to operate a business within Washington’s borders, it is subject to state oversight regardless of its federal contract.
"The GEO Group makes a lot of money operating this facility and they must follow our law," Brown said.
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The Source: Information in this story came from a press conference held by Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.