Report Alleges Rights Abuses at Tacoma Immigration Facility

Jason Pagano
07/16/2008

A new report alleges human rights violations at Tacoma's federal immigration facility. KUOW'S Jason Pagano has more.

TACOMA'S DETENTION CENTER IS WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOLDS PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING DEPORTATION. THE AVERAGE STAY IS ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE A LEGAL REVIEW DETERMINES WHETHER A PERSON STAYS IN THE COUNTRY. BUT AS THE GOVERNMENT CLAMPS DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING DETAINED, FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.

GWYNNE SKINNER IS A VISITING LAW PROFESSOR AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY. SHE ADVISED LAW STUDENTS WHO WROTE THE REPORT RELEASED TUESDAY. SKINNER SAYS THE SURGING NUMBER OF DETAINEES LEADS TO WORSENING CONDITIONS AT THE TACOMA FACILITY.

SKINNER: "Conditions that are really like a jail, or like a prison, they become punitive, it becomes like being punished. Well, they're not supposed to be being punished in these detention centers. You're not there because you've committed a crime. You're there because the federal government is trying to determine what your status is."

THE REPORT SAYS DETAINEES HAVE INSUFFICIENT LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND MEDICAL CARE. DETAINEES ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT BAD FOOD AND ABUSIVE TREATMENT BY GUARDS.

A PRIVATE COMPANY OWNS AND OPERATES THE FACILITY FOR U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, OR ICE. LORIE DANKERS IS AN ICE SPOKESWOMAN. SHE DISMISSES THE ALLEGATIONS AS FICTION.

DANKERS: "I can't tell you whether that's true or not, because I can't independently verify the incidents they're talking about. Our goal is, when we detain people, to have that occur in a safe and secure environment, and we are doing that and we are doing a good job of it."

DANKERS SAYS THE TACOMA FACILITY OPERATES NEAR ITS CAPACITY OF 1000 DETAINEES, BUT IS NOT OVERCROWDED. THE DETENTION CENTER IS REPORTEDLY IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING, THOUGH OFFICIALS HAVE NOT YET MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

JASON PAGANO, KUOW NEWS.

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