Jayapal, Randall, Dexter Conduct Unannounced Oversight Visit at Northwest Detention Center
TACOMA, WA — Today, Congresswomen Emily Randall (WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) conducted an unannounced Congressional oversight visit at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC).
Officials at the detention center allowed the Members to tour the facility one hour after they arrived. Despite repeated attempts, the Members were only permitted to meet with two detained individuals, which raises concerns over the medical care and legal counsel available in this detention center.
This visit follows a troubling pattern: recent ICE raids targeting labor leaders, multiple reports over the past few years citing poor compliance with medical and sanitary standards at the facility, and actions by the Trump Administration that undermine Congressional oversight authority.
Following the visit, the Members and Roxana Norouzi, Executive Director of OneAmerica, addressed members of the press to share their experience.
“Today was a stark reminder of the pain, chaos, and confusion caused at the hands of Donald Trump — and what happens when policy is developed from a source of hate, instead of fact,” said Congresswoman Randall, a member of the House Oversight Committee. “The American people are being told one thing, but my eyes saw another: the people inside this facility are our neighbors, people who we would see in the community, parents, and siblings. We spoke with a legal permanent resident who is being detained on a 20 year old crime for which he served his time. This is an injustice, it’s unconstitutional, and it’s being funded on the backs of taxpayers. We must continue to show up — unannounced — and demand answers.”
“Today I visited the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma for an unannounced inspection. While I am disappointed that the facility staff would not allow me to speak with more detained individuals, I was able to speak with two detained persons,” said Congresswoman Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. “One woman has been in this country for 20 years and was detained less than a week before she was to be married to a U.S. citizen. Another man has been here 31 years as a legal permanent resident, is a proud member of the Machinists Union, and is married to a U.S. citizen with three U.S. citizen children. These individuals could not understand why they were in detention, why this country they live is treating them this way, and they fear terribly for their families. I remain incredibly concerned about the entire immigration detention system, which is supposed to be a civil system but is instead functioning as a massive for-profit prison that utilizes billions of taxpayer dollars to jail people who should not be there. It is being weaponized by the Trump administration to carry out mass disappearances and deportations of people of all statuses like the lawful permanent residents held in this facility and undocumented immigrants who are married to US citizens — many of whom are not ‘the worst of the worst’ like Trump said he would go after, but instead are people who were contributing members of our community. I will continue to conduct this oversight and work to build a humane and fair immigration system that benefits Americans while protecting the rights of all immigrants.”
“Donald Trump is lying to the American people. He is dehumanizing immigrants who came here for a better life—only to face cruelty and injustice—funded by your tax dollars. Inside the Northwest Detention Center, we were not allowed to speak with or see most individuals detained here, and that should concern every one of us. What are they hiding?” said Congresswoman Dexter (OR-03), a critical care and lung physician. “Trump is detaining our neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones without guaranteed due process and no accountability. That’s not American; that’s authoritarianism.”
“No matter where we come from, the color of our skin, or our immigration status we all deserve to live in a country where our families are together, where we feel safe, and where our rights are upheld. Unfortunately, we are witnessing attacks on immigrants and working people across the country that are violating these core values,” said Roxana Norouzi, Executive Director of OneAmerica. “This Administration has pushed the limits of their executive power, snatching, and disappearing our neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones – detaining them in centers like this one. At times, with no due process and no accountability. We want to ensure our community members who are detained are treated humanely. They need access to legal counsel and, at a minimum, to understand the immigration process while detained. Our legal system requires fairness and respect for due process, with increased transparency and accountability of for-profit detention centers like this one.”
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