Editor’s Note: This article was first published by the La Resistencia.
Tacoma, Washington – The seventh hunger strike this year so far recorded by the immigrant-led grassroots group La Resistencia, began on November 11 in Unit B3 at the notorious and infamous Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) and has continued for 18 days. At one point over 100 immigrants joined the strike, due to immediate retaliation, today 9 of them continue to refuse all meals.
All of the hunger strikers who have joined explained their decision in similar terms to previous hunger strikers, reporting that ICE is currently dragging its feet on individual adjudications surrounding their immigration cases. All of the strikers report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not spoken with them about their individual cases for weeks or months in some instances. Their main demand surrounding the protest is that the government agency fulfill its obligations, giving immediate release to those who can remain in the country and immediate deportation to those who have no further recourse.
On November 14, La Resistencia learned that the 25 hunger strikers in Unit B3 were being isolated in cold units by GEO Group and ICE, presumably to keep them under observation. However, the University of Washington Center for Human Rights has reported that the NWDC often uses isolation, even when done for allegedly medical reasons, as a form of punishment.
Detention conditions have reached such an unbearable point that detainees are demanding to be deported rather than wait any longer: “They ordered me deported and I’ve been waiting for 3 months, why doesn’t ICE deport me instead of keeping me here?” one detainee told La Resistencia this week. There are repeated reports that have found NWDC flagrantly violating ICE’s own cleanliness, health and food quality guidelines.
Conditions have worsened for years due to GEO’s refusal to pay for cleaning the facilities, provide new and clean clothing, underwear and shoes, and real food for people to eat while in detention.
During the strike, all strikers have been denied access to communications at different points. One of the nine remaining strikers told LR in a phone call during the daily protests in front of the NWDC that he would not stop until he was released.
NWDC is the lowest facility in the country with the lowest fainting rate, 3% compared to another facility in Florida whose pass rate is 46%. GEO and ICE Health Services Corps (ICEHSC) medical staff enjoy discouraging and intimidating strikers. One striker told La Resistencia that medical staff told him that “strikes don’t work and ICE won’t do anything” just because detainees stop eating.
However, during the past week, at daily vigils organized by La Resistencia, its supporters witnessed the release of detainees late into the night, a rare practice at the infamous facility. La Resistencia learned from released and currently detained individuals that as of Tuesday, November 21, many people were being released from detention. One unit reported that 20 people received “low” bail of $5,000.00 in a single day. According to information from La Resistencia close to 50 people were released in one day. One detainee informed La Resistencia that ICE agents showed up saying they were “behind” in processing the releases.
This means that ICE has always had the authority to release dozens of people at that time, but decided not to do so, until this large number of detainees decided to take action and organize a protest. It also means that the facility could set “low” bonds, or bonds in general so that people could be released. This is a major victory for the strikers, but none of them have been granted bail or parole to be released.
La Resistencia, the leading immigrant detainee organization in Washington State, invites civil society and the general public to stand in solidarity with the hunger strikers by demonstrating every night in front of the detention center for the duration of the strike.
WHO: La Resistencia and Community Partners
WHEN: Every weekday, including today (Nov. 28) at 7 p.m. Pacific time
WHERE: Northwest Detention Center (1623 East J Street, Tacoma, WA, 98421)
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La Resistencia is a grassroots organization led by undocumented immigrants and people of color who have been oppressed by the immigration enforcement system. We are based in Washington state working to end immigration detention and stop deportations.
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