Washington is joining a coalition of 22 other states in urging federal immigration officials to reverse a policy ending investigations into deaths that occur shortly after people are released from ICE custody.
In a letter sent Thursday to US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director David Venturella, the coalition argued that the new policy reduces transparency and weakens accountability as concerns over conditions in immigration detention facilities continue to grow.
The attorneys general called on federal officials to reinstate a previous policy that allowed reviews of deaths occurring within 30 days of a detainee’s release from ICE custody.
“Everybody, including people who are detained, should be safe, healthy, and treated with decency,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement.
Complaints Mount at Tacoma ICE Facility
Brown pointed to ongoing concerns at the privately operated Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, which is run by the GEO Group.
“The Washington Department of Health has received thousands of complaints about unsafe, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions at GEO Group’s private detention facility, the Northwest ICE Processing Center, including denial of prescribed medications,” Brown said.
Detainees have complained that the food provided has contained burned plastic, metal string, rope, splinters, hair, and worms, according to Brown’s office.
GEO Group has refused to allow inspectors from the state Department of Health into the facility, despite state laws requiring them to do so.
“That treatment has ramifications, and if someone dies soon after release from ICE custody, their passing should be reported and investigated,” Brown said.
Federal detention standards require ICE facilities to conduct health screenings, provide necessary medical and mental health care, and maintain safe and sanitary conditions for detainees.
Coalition Warns of a ‘Dangerous Incentive’
Until recently, ICE directors could request investigations into deaths occurring within 30 days of a person’s release from custody. According to the attorneys general, those reviews often resulted in formal investigations and public reports.
The coalition argued that ending those investigations could create a “dangerous incentive” for detention facilities to release critically ill detainees shortly before they die to avoid scrutiny associated with deaths that occur in custody.
The letter also claims the policy change comes as conditions in immigration detention centers continue to deteriorate.
Deaths in ICE Custody Rise Nationwide
Brown’s office said the Washington Department of Health has received more than 3,500 complaints regarding conditions at the Tacoma detention center.
Those complaints include allegations of ignored medical emergencies, contaminated food, unsanitary conditions, and staff misconduct, according to the attorney general’s office.
The coalition also cited a rise in deaths in ICE custody nationwide. According to the letter, 51 detainees have died in ICE custody since January 2025.
The attorneys general highlighted the case of 39-year-old Ismael Ayala-Uribe, who reportedly died from septic shock caused by an untreated abscess after requests for medical treatment were ignored.
More than half of the reported deaths have occurred in just nine of the nation’s more than 220 active immigration detention facilities, the attorneys general said. ICE’s Office of Detention Oversight has identified deficient medical care at five of those facilities.
Coalition Calls for Greater Transparency
Brown and the coalition said they will continue opposing efforts they believe limit public oversight of immigration detention facilities and urged federal officials to restore the previous reporting standards.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led the coalition, which also includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
