After years of reports showing rampant abuse in immigrant detention centers nationwide immigrants in the sprawling Northwest Detention Center have gone on hunger strike in an attempt to improve the indefinite detention and abuse.
According to the GEO Group the center is the largest of its kind.
Northwest Detention Center
1623 East J Street
Tacoma, WA 98421
Phone: (253) 396-1611
Fax: (253) 396-1250
Capacity: 1,575
Client: U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Accreditations: American Correctional Association (ACA) National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC)
BACKGROUND: The Northwest Detention Center is a minimum, medium and maximum security facility that opened in 2004. Staff were recruited from the local community and local vendors are used as much as possible. As a result, the facility contributes significantly to the local economy through salaries and purchase of goods and services.
SCOPE OF WORK: The Northwest Detention Center is a privately-owned detention facility under contract with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house detainees pending removal process. Due to the nature of the detained population and certain contractual restrictions, the facility does not offer educational or vocational training programs. Detainees may, however, participate in correspondence educational programs, at their own expense, during their stay at the Northwest Detention Center. Ownership and operation of the Northwest Detention Center were assumed by The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO) following the acquisition of Correctional Services Corporation (CSC) in November 2005.
TACOMA — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that 750 detainees at the Northwest Detention Center have refused to eat and say they are on a hunger strike.
An immigrant activist says the hunger strike started Friday as a protest of deportations as well as center conditions. Activist Maru Mora says the hunger strikers are seeking better food and treatment as well as better pay for center jobs.
The center currently houses nearly 1,300 people being investigated for possible deportation.
Now why would these immigrants be complaining in the lap of for profit prison luxury?
The United States government, through the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), has increased its use of civil detention for non- citizens at an alarming rate since the 1996 immigration reforms. The growth in detention has resulted in often horrible conditions of confinement, such as grossly inadequate health care, physical and sexual abuse, overcrowding, discrimination, and racism. NGOs frequently receive widespread complaints from detainees and their loved ones regarding problems such as lack of access to necessary medications for persons with chronic illnesses; shackling; use of segregation or tasers for disciplinary purposes; inability to visit with family members and problems with access to telephones.
This briefing paper explains the domestic standards for detention conditions and demonstrates the pervasive problems with conditions of confinement that immigration detainees face in jails and detention facilities across the country. The paper aims to illustrate the widespread human rights violations that migrants face while in the custody of the United States and offers recommendations for improved conditions and effective oversight of detention conditions.
There are protests at the location in support of the hunger strikers.
Hey all,
1200 people detained at the Northwest Detention Center have gone on hunger strike, making the demands listed below. It would be great if we could all come out this weekend to support their action and their demands (listed below). The aim is to have a consistent presence from 12 - 4 p.m. this Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. So much easier than showing up at 6 a.m., don't you think? Let's do this!
Please let the organizers listed below know what time/days you will be there, so they can get a sense of what sort of support to expect. See you there!
The address is 1623 East J Street, Tacoma, WA 98421.
-Angelica
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Immigrants in deportation proceedings have decided to take the lead on organizing hunger strike to demand a stop to deportations and better conditions within the detention center.
They need your support more than ever!
Let us know which date/time you are available to come to the detention center to be part of the solidarity demonstrations
time Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday
12-2pm
2-4pm
These are their demands:
-Better food
-Better treatment
-Better pay
-Lower commissary
-Fairness
STOP DEPORTATIONS!
.
Thank you, adelante y hasta la victoria!
Maru
Compañer@s:
Inmigrantes en proceso de deportación han decidido tomar el liderazgo en organizar una huelga de hambre para exigir un alto a las deportaciones y mejorar las condiciones dentro del centro de detención.
¡Ellos ahora más que nunca necesitan su apoyo !
Favor de decirnos que día pueden ir al centro de detención a ser parte de las demostraciones de solidaridad y apoyo, los siguientes días y horas:
hora Sábado Domingo Lunes Martes
12-2pm
2-4pm
Estas son sus demandas:
-Mejor comida
-Mejor trato
-Mejor paga
-Precios más bajos en la intendencia/tienda
-Justicia
¡ALTO A LAS DEPORTACIONES!