Washington state has asked a federal judge to force private prison operator The GEO Group to allow health inspectors into its for-profit immigration detention center in Tacoma, citing thousands of detainee complaints. The state has received 3,500 complaints over the past few years, nearly 1,000 related to water, food, and air quality. Some detainees reported food containing foreign objects like burned plastic, splinters, and worms, while others complained about water quality issues.
The Northwest ICE Processing Center, operated by GEO Group under a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), holds up to 1,600 detainees pending deportation cases. Washington passed a law in 2023 asserting its authority to enforce health and safety laws against private detention facilities. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, but GEO Group has until June 11 to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown stated that GEO Group has refused to admit Department of Health (DOH) inspectors 10 times, despite a court mandate. GEO Group declined to comment, referring requests to ICE, which did not respond. The state argues that the facility's operator has a legal and moral obligation to allow inspections.
The detention center's contract with ICE was extended in March for six months, worth over $69 million. Governor Bob Ferguson expressed confidence in the state's legal position, stating that GEO Group's obstruction would not go unchallenged. The state seeks a federal court order to compel compliance with inspection requests.