Northwest ICE Processing Center — Tacoma WA (GEO Group, 1,575 beds)

Overview

The Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC), formerly the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), at 1623 E J St in Tacoma’s Tideflats is a 1,575-bed privately operated detention facility run by GEO Group on behalf of ICE. It is one of the largest ICE facilities on the West Coast and the only dedicated ICE detention center in Washington state. As of early February 2026, the average daily population was 1,372, with 70% classified as non-criminal detainees.

Contract History

Original contract: 10-year agreement beginning September 28, 2015, valued at ~~$700M (~~$70M/year)
Original expiration: September 27, 2025
6-month extension: Signed March 27, 2026, covering through October 27, 2026, valued at $69,061,134.27
Daily operational cost: ~~$322,429 (~~$235/bed/day)
Long-term contract: Still pending; finalized contract has not been announced

Proposed Expansion / New Facility

In December 2025, ICE posted a pre-solicitation notice on SAM.gov with 200+ pages of specifications for a potential 1,635-bed facility (60 beds more than current capacity). Key details:

Office space for 60 ICE employees
Intake area for 215 standing individuals
1,485 male beds, 150 female beds
Estimated cost: ~$400 million
Model: “Turnkey solution” — contractor builds and operates
Transportation needs referenced to/from existing NWIPC, suggesting this may replace or supplement the current facility
DHS stated it was “not yet committed to the project” as of December 2025

Critical detail: The pre-solicitation specified the weaker National Detention Standards (NDS) rather than the current Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS), which experts called a significant downgrade. Differences include:

PBNDS forbids hog-tying; NDS does not
PBNDS requires annual drinking water testing; NDS does not
PBNDS mandates 24-hour medical staffing in medical housing; NDS does not
PBNDS suggests 4 hours daily outdoor recreation; NDS is less specific

Conditions and Abuse

Solitary Confinement

The NWIPC uses solitary confinement more than any other immigration detention center in the country, for longer stretches than any other ICE-exclusive facility. It is “frequently used on detained people who are mentally ill and others who exercise their First Amendment rights.”

Hunger Strikes

As of February 2026, there had been 12 hunger strikes at the facility in 2026 alone. One detained person was on hunger strike after 10 months in solitary confinement, demanding dental care, release from solitary, and an end to negligence. This was their sixth hunger strike.

Sexual Assault Lawsuit (February 2026)

Three men filed suit in Pierce County Superior Court (Feb 2026) against GEO Group alleging:

Sexual groping by a guard
One man slammed face-first into concrete, kneed while handcuffed, placed in solitary for protesting guards trashing his belongings (including his Bible)
Another attacked after requesting computer access for immigration appeal — pinned by neck, struck repeatedly including in groin

UW Center for Human Rights Findings

157 reports of assaults and sexual abuse to Tacoma Police Department between 2015-2025
Detained people were victims in 90% of cases
Only 2 of 157 reports were prosecuted
Documented: medical neglect, sexual assaults, tear gas use, unsanitary food, unsafe conditions

Forced Labor / Wage Theft

9th Circuit affirmed (August 2025) that GEO Group violated Washington labor law by paying detainees $1/day for work
GEO ordered to pay $23.2 million in damages (jury award + judge’s ruling)
Practice lasted from 2005 to jury verdict in 2021
GEO’s next potential appeal: U.S. Supreme Court

State Regulation Fight (HB 1470)

Washington passed HB 1470 (2023) requiring:

Fresh fruits/vegetables, A/C and heat, free telecom
Weekly mental health evaluations, rooms with windows
Unannounced inspections by Dept. of Health and Dept. of Labor & Industries

GEO sued (Geo Group v. Inslee), arguing federal preemption. In March 2024, a federal district judge blocked enforcement, ruling the law set stricter standards for the detention facility than for state jails/prisons. Appealed to 9th Circuit — oral arguments in 2025, with one judge appearing sympathetic to the state’s argument that the law parallels rules for involuntary psychiatric facilities.

During the 2025 legislative session, HB 1232 was passed amending related provisions. The Department of Health is not currently conducting inspections under HB 1470.

Detention Pipeline