Dexter, Randall Make Unannounced Oversight Visit to Northwest Detention Center After Reports of Hunger Strike and Unsafe Conditions

TACOMA, Wash. - Today, U.S. Reps. Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03), and Emily Randall (WA-06), conducted an unannounced oversight visit to the Northwest Detention Center after reports of 140 detained immigrants participating in a hunger strike, inedible food and unsafe living conditions.

Detention center officials made the Congresswomen wait an hour before allowing them to tour the facility. During the visit, Reps. Dexter and Randall spoke with a hunger striker about inadequate access to food and medical care.

Rep. Dexter who practiced as a critical care and lung physician for more than 20 years raised serious concerns about reports that people detained at the facility have gone on a hunger strike over food and poor living conditions. She explained that inadequate nutrition and prolonged hunger can cause serious health risks, particularly for people with underlying medical conditions.

"This ICE facility is a human rights failure." Congresswoman Dexter said. "I am here to sound the alarm about these poor conditions and demand action from GEO Group and ICE to address these concerns. Access to nutritious food, medical care and safe living conditions are requirements for the government to supply when they remove people's autonomy by taking them into custody. Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight, and I am determined to effectively do my job by bearing witness and holding our government to being transparent and accountable."

This visit comes after mounting concerns of repeated reports of inadequate medical and sanitary conditions including bugs in food and rat droppings at the facility and the White House continuous efforts to limit congressional oversight of detention facilities.

"I have concerns about a for-profit company making money off of the backs of individual people who are being housed there, but I also have concerns with an administration who has shown over and over and over that they are corrupt and self-enriching and looking to reward donors to the administration and potentially measurably enriching the owner of GEO, who is a campaign donor to the president with no big contract to provide the facility," Congresswoman Randall said. "So that's something else we'll continue to keep in mind."

Following the visit, Reps. Dexter and Randall met with local advocates protesting conditions at the ICE detention center and the treatment of the people detained.

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