A significant tuberculosis outbreak has cast a shadow over the Northwest ICE Detention Centers in Tacoma, Washington, raising urgent questions about the health and safety protocols within federal immigration facilities. This alarming development, involving seven suspected cases, underscores a deepening concern for individuals held within these confines.

The Washington State Department of Health has confirmed these seven suspected tuberculosis cases at the facility, prompting immediate and widespread apprehension regarding the conditions and medical care provided to detainees. This emerging public health crisis in Tacoma highlights the critical vulnerability of crowded institutional environments to infectious diseases.

The seriousness of the situation came to light when attorney Sean Quirk discovered his client, a detainee, had contracted tuberculosis after failing to appear for scheduled meetings. Quirk’s desperate search, which involved cold-calling numerous hospitals across the Tacoma area, exposed a troubling lack of transparent communication from the ICE detention centers regarding detainee health.

Further complicating the matter, Quirk’s client was reportedly transferred to a correctional facility in Alaska before being returned to Tacoma, already afflicted with the infectious disease. Reports from the ACLU of Alaska indicate that at least 35 individuals were exposed to tuberculosis at the Alaskan facility in June, suggesting a potentially wider chain of transmission linked to detainee transfers.

The attorney recounted the frustrating ordeal of being told his client was hospitalized but denied further information, being directed solely to unresponsive ICE officials. This forced Quirk to undertake an extensive and independent search, illustrating the significant barriers families and legal representatives face when trying to ascertain the well-being of those in federal custody.

Angelina Godoy, director of the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights, articulated profound distress over the unfolding events, emphasizing that such conditions should “sound alarm bells in the heads of all people concerned about immigrant rights in this state.” Her comments underscore a pervasive sentiment of alarm and concern over what is perceived as daily cruelty.

While Quirk’s client has been released and is continuing tuberculosis treatment, the attorney maintains that the incident points to a serious systemic failure in detainee welfare and medical oversight. Critical questions persist about the actual scope of this public health crisis, including the total number of individuals receiving treatment and the potential for additional cases to surface within or beyond the facility.

This unsettling revelation at the ICE detention centers in Tacoma demands immediate and thorough investigation, not only to contain the current tuberculosis outbreak but also to address the fundamental issues of detainee welfare and accountability within the nation’s immigration system. Ensuring adequate medical care and upholding basic human rights concerns for all individuals in custody remains an paramount societal obligation.