Randall Speaks with Detainees at Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center

TACOMA, WA — Today, Congresswoman Emily Randall (D, WA-06) spoke with staff members and detainees during an oversight visit at the Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center. This was Rep. Randall’s 6th oversight visit to the facility since the start of her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Following the closed oversight visit, Rep. Randall held a media Q&A and was joined by Alex Askerov, Supervising Attorney at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. 

“There are folks I've spoken to in this facility who have never committed crimes in the United States, who are here because they were without papers, because they didn't come the right way, because they happen to be born on the other side of the border. But were coming for opportunity,” said Rep. Randall. “And yes, I believe that it's our responsibility to have an immigration system – a process – but it should be funded and humane. And it shouldn't look like rounding people up on the street, from their homes, from their jobs and housing them in a facility like this for months and months and months on end without adequate health care. The American people don't want that. Our neighbors don't want that.”

Video of today’s media Q&A is available HERE. Photos are available HERE. A transcript of the media Q&A is available HERE.

During today’s visit, Rep. Randall spoke with Greggy Sorio, a green card holder from the Philippines, who suffered serious medical complications due to denial of medical care. Sorio was eventually hospitalized and required a toe amputation. Randall also spoke with Linda, an 18 year old, who is currently seeking asylum from Colombia, Jun, a blind detainee from China who said he has not received adequate accommodations or medical care, and Doris, who has been detained since August 2024, despite being granted protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), which effectively deferred her removal to El Salvador. Despite this CAT grant, Doris has remained in ICE detention, as ICE has expressed intention to remove her to a 3rd country other than El Salvador.

“The American people, including many Latinos, believed the President when he said he was going to go after the worst of the worst criminals,” said Rep. Randall. “But what we have seen over the last year is that he is going after Abuelas and working people, and showing up at job sites, and making it harder for farmers to feed our country, and making it harder for fish processing plants to operate, and making it unsafe for children to feel like they can go to school.” 

Rep. Randall continued: “He is making our communities less safe. He's making it less likely for neighbors to call the police if something happens, because they are afraid that their family or their neighbors will end up in this facility for who knows how long.”

In December, Rep. Randall joined members of the WA Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about facility conditions at the Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center. The letter cites concerning reports that at least three detained pregnant women were denied proper prenatal care, and that at least two suicide attempts have occured at the facility in April 2025. The Washington lawmakers requested answers back from ICE by January 16, 2026. 

Members of Congress have oversight authority of ICE Detention Facilities per Sec. 527 of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. In July 2025, several Democratic Representatives sued the Trump Administration for illegally denying the members entry to ICE Detention Facilities. Rep. Randall was once illegally denied entry in August of 2025. A federal judge blocked Trump’s effort to deny members of Congress entry to ICE Detention Facilities in December 2025.