A U.S. District Court granted preliminary injunction orders requiring GEO Group to allow state health inspectors to enter the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, with Judge Benjamin Settle making the ruling three months after the state requested the injunctions. The order excludes areas controlled by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which include administrative and medical areas.
What changed
The state requested the injunctions in April on the basis of a state law passed in 2023 that set basic health and safety standards for private detention centers like the one in Tacoma. The law allows the Washington State Department of Health to make unannounced inspections of the facility.
The court ordered GEO Group to allow state health inspectors inside, ending a three-year standoff. In August 2025, the Ninth Circuit vacated the preliminary injunction that blocked the law from taking effect, and in March 2026, issued an order that formally lifted that injunction. However, GEO Group continued refusing access despite the appeals court ruling. The district court’s preliminary injunction now mandates compliance.
Why it matters
You represent a detained immigrant at the Northwest ICE Processing Center. This ruling shifts your ability to investigate and document conditions of confinement. Department of Health inspectors have been turned away 10 times, including twice since an appeals court affirmed the agency’s authority to inspect the facility. Now, state health inspectors can enter and investigate complaints—which may support your arguments in removal proceedings, bond hearings, or third-party claims.
The Department of Health has received more than 3,500 complaints about the detention center, which holds detainees before deportation or release back into the United States. These complaints center on allegations of medical mistreatment, abuse and neglect, and concerns about water quality and food. State inspections can corroborate such allegations and may support motions to suppress statements obtained under inhumane conditions, applications for administrative relief, or litigation of conditions affecting bond determinations.
Note the scope: inspectors may not access ICE-controlled areas (administrative and medical). This means inspections will focus on detention housing, food service, sanitation, and laundry—but not ICE offices or ICE-controlled medical facilities.
Way forward
As a practitioner:
- Contact the Washington State Department of Health to request or track inspections related to your client’s complaints.
- Request copies of inspection reports once completed; these may form part of your record on conditions of confinement.
- If GEO continues obstruction, alert the court overseeing your client’s case to the preliminary injunction and cite it as evidence that conditions complaints are being formally investigated.
As a detained person or family member:
- File written complaints with the state Department of Health about specific conditions. Include dates, names of staff, and details. These complaints now may trigger state inspection.
- Share complaint details with your immigration attorney so they can reference state oversight in your case.
Disclaimer
Fola Editorial is a technology and information company, not a law firm. This article does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed immigration attorney to discuss your specific situation and rights. This article reflects the court ruling as of July 10, 2026; policy and judicial rulings can change without notice. Verify all citations against the court filings and primary source linked above.