Civil Rights Groups Sue ICE Over Northwest Detention Center

TACOMA, WA — The American Civil Liberties Union and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project sued Monday to seek the release of immigrants being kept at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, amid the growing outbreak of the new coronavirus in Washington.

According to a news release, both groups are specifically asking for the release of people in civil detention with higher risks of developing complications from the COVID-19 virus, including those over 50 and with underlying health conditions.

The suit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Seattle against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"As people on the ground in what has become the epicenter for coronavirus in the U.S., we have seen firsthand the impact this has on our most vulnerable communities," said Matt Adams, the legal director for NWIRP. "ICE has the responsibility to protect the safety of all who are in immigration detention."

The ACLU's National Prison Project said the likelihood of transmitting infections is higher in detention, with so many people occupying a limited space.

"These are not normal circumstances, and the heightened risk of serious harm to people in detention from COVID-19 is clear," said Eunice Cho, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU. "Public health experts have warned that failing to reduce the number of people detained — and, in particular, failing to release those particularly vulnerable to the disease — endangers the lives of everyone in the detention facility, including staff and the broader community.

Aside from the lawsuit, the civil rights groups filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order from a judge, which would require the immediate release of people meeting the criteria identified in the complaint.

An ICE spokesperson told Patch the agency would not comment on pending litigation and pointed to existing guidelines for COVID-19 posted on its website.