Tacoma ICE facility would see steep fines for blocking inspections under WA bill
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- WA Democrats mull SB 6286 to let state fine private ICE detention center in Tacoma.
- Bill allows health department fines escalating to $15,000 per day if entry stays blocked.
- Fines would fund the new Federal Enforcement Accountability and Community Repair Account.
The federal immigration detention center in Tacoma has come under fire in recent years following reports of neglect and suicide.
Now, Washington Democratic lawmakers are making the case for the state to be able to fine the center in the event that the Department of Health isn’t allowed in for an inspection.
State Sen. Tina Orwall, a Des Moines Democrat, is the primary sponsor behind Senate Bill 6286, which expands on a 2023 bill that lets the health department issue health code-violation fines to private detention facilities like the Northwest ICE Processing Center. The new proposal broadens the health department’s authority to write fines to private detention facilities when blocked from entry.
Orwall, a mental health professional, told McClatchy that she was concerned after touring the Tacoma facility several months ago, citing a lack of mental health-care access.
“These are human needs, right: to be safe and fed and have medical attention,” she said in a call. “We want to make sure those basic needs are met.”
Orwall said that in her district, which is home to a large immigrant population, some families have been afraid to send their kids to school. She recalled recently speaking to a mom who said her son stopped going outside to play over fear he’d be picked up by immigration enforcement.
The bill is part of a broader push by Washington Democrats this session to strengthen protections for the state’s immigrant communities amid the federal government’s mass-deportation agenda. Gov. Bob Ferguson has repeatedly expressed support for a bill barring federal immigration agents and law enforcement officers from wearing masks.
Critics, including Republican lawmakers, have cited concerns about the proposals’ public-safety implications, and about the state’s authority to pass legislation that conflicts with federal law.
SB 6286 would also create the Federal Enforcement Accountability and Community Repair Account to hold collected fines, which ultimately would be distributed to people or families with members who have been assaulted or killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or who were wrongfully detained and released by the court.
The health department could issue a fine of up to $1,000 per day for the first 30 days. If it is still denied entry after that, then the department would be able to hike that price to $10,000 per day for the following 30 days and to $15,000 per day after 60 days.
Orwall noted that the state had previously been blocked from inspecting the facility. In 2024, the Washington State Standard reported that state health and workplace inspectors were repeatedly rebuffed in their attempts to access the facility amid complaints that the safety and health of detainees was at risk.
Under a contract with ICE, a private company called the GEO Group owns and operates the center. GEO Group and ICE did not immediately return McClatchy’s requests for comment on the legislation.
Deputy House Republican Leader Chris Corry of Yakima told reporters Tuesday that he views Orwall’s bill as an attempt by the state to regulate the federal government in an area it lacks the ability to regulate.
Senate Minority Leader John Braun, a Centralia Republican, said the majority party has previously sought to “undermine” the facility. Democrats can alter state law if they’d like, he said on a Tuesday call with reporters.
“If they want to make it at odds with federal law, they’re going to have to change federal law — and instead of doing that, they’re just trying to harass the federal government because they don’t like their current policies,” Braun continued. “That’s not the way this is supposed to work.”
Orwall countered that the center is privately run, and that beds and facilities in Washington are regulated by the state health department. She told McClatchy that the state is responsible for detainees’ health and well-being, adding that any violations are concerning.
“We want to make sure that there are standards,” she said.
SB 6286 is set to receive a public hearing on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. in the Senate Human Services Committee.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 5:15 AM.
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