Editor’s note: This article was originally published by La Resistencia in a newsletter.
All immigrants demand immediate release due to long inhumane detention.
Tacoma, WA — Nearly 50 Indian immigrants detained by US Immigration Service Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the now infamous Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA, operated by Geo Group Inc. began a hunger strike yesterday demanding their immediate release due to long and inhumane detention. The strikers will continue to carry out their peaceful protests until ICE meets their demands.
After a 52-day hunger strike last year, the seventh year at NWDC, will end on January 1. At least one unit of the facility decided to organize this peaceful protest: “Some people have been released, others deported, why are we still here after so much time?” said one of the strikers in a call with La Resistencia, a group undocumented community that fights to put an end to all detentions and deportations in Washington state and demands closure immediately from the facilities.
The average population at the facility was 659 people as of December 26, 2023, according to the TRAC research group at the University of Syracuse. The detained people report large amounts per unit. In one unit there are 70 people detained while the detention conditions get worse day by day. A person shared yesterday with La Resistencia: “Our unit is only cleaned once or twice a week if we are lucky.”
Some units continue the boycott against Keefe Group, a corporation that manages commissary services at NWDC, which announced last month a 12% price increase plus taxes. ICE and Geo told strikers last month that they couldn’t do anything about it, but after many days of constant hunger strikes and boycott, ICE promised the strikers talk to Keefe about raising prices, among other promises like better food and transfers close to family members for those who come from out of state to be detained at NWDC.
La Resistencia will continue to hold daily vigils, as it did during the 52 strike days of the last two months, weekdays at 7 p.m. m. and the weekends at 1 p.m. m. PST.
WHAT: Daily vigils in solidarity with NWDC hunger strikers
WHERE: Northwest Detention Center (1623 East J Street, Tacoma, WA, 98421)
WHEN: January 5 at 7 p.m. January 6 and 7 at 1 p.m. PST.
La Resistencia is a grassroots organization led by immigrants undocumented and people of color who have been oppressed by the system of immigration control. We are based in Washington State working to end immigration detention and stop deportations.
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