The Fight

Pierce County Council approved a 6-month moratorium on siting and permitting involuntary detention centers (including ICE facilities) in unincorporated Pierce County. The vote was 5-2 in favor.

Key Details

• Sponsor: Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello
• Scope: Blocks new involuntary detention centers, jails, behavioral health centers, and ICE processing centers in unincorporated county areas
• Purpose: Allows county planning and public works staff time to:
  • Create clearer definitions of involuntary detention centers
  • Update zoning standards
  • Establish location criteria and mitigation requirements

Context

Pierce County already hosts the NWIPC (in Tacoma city limits), plus Western State Hospital, the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island, and other state-run involuntary confinement facilities. The moratorium was part of the broader regional coordination with King County and Seattle-area cities responding to the DHS December 2025 pre-solicitation for expanded detention capacity.

Note: Tacoma itself already has 2018 zoning restrictions that effectively prevent the NWIPC from expanding beyond 1,575 beds. GEO Group previously sued over these restrictions and lost. The Pierce County moratorium extends similar protection to unincorporated areas of the county.

Sources

• Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello proposes moratorium (Pierce County press release)
• Pierce County council votes on moratorium on ICE facilities (Yahoo News)
• Pierce County advances anti-ICE detention ban (Seattle Red)
• Pierce County May Join Neighbors in Blocking Federal Detention Center Expansion (The Urbanist)