Oppose ICE Detention Expansion in the Pacific Northwest

I am writing to urge you to oppose any expansion of ICE detention capacity in the Pacific Northwest, particularly the proposed facility near Tacoma that could house up to 1,635 detainees. According to federal planning documents, ICE is exploring this expansion despite ongoing concerns about conditions at the existing Northwest ICE Processing Center operated by GEO Group. The current Tacoma facility already faces serious scrutiny over staffing shortages, inadequate medical care access, and detainee treatment issues. Expanding detention capacity before addressing these fundamental problems would only multiply harm to vulnerable people in federal custody. We should not be investing in larger detention infrastructure when the existing system fails to meet basic standards of care and oversight. Immigration enforcement activity in Washington has increased by over 66% since last year, straining community resources and creating fear among families. The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network deportation defense hotline has seen calls double in the past year after operating for a decade. Elementary school students are now witnessing ICE arrests at their schools and expressing fear about losing family members. This is the human cost of aggressive enforcement policies. Recent incidents highlight the need for accountability rather than expansion. Julian Ortiz Velazquez of Puyallup spent two months in ICE custody after being arrested outside a Lowe's store despite having no criminal history and actively pursuing legal status through both asylum and marriage to a U.S. citizen. In Redmond, video captured an ICE agent pulling a mask over his face when he realized he was being filmed during an arrest. These cases reflect a system operating with insufficient transparency and oversight. Rather than expanding detention capacity, I urge you to advocate for community-based alternatives to detention, increased funding for legal representation, and stronger oversight of existing facilities. Our region needs immigration policies that prioritize human dignity and due process, not larger detention centers with documented problems.