Town Hall Mobilizes Nurses, Advocates, Residents On Friday evening, Feb. 21, 2026, a two‑hour meeting at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center gathered nurses, labor advocates and local residents to press for the removal of ICE from St. Joseph Medical Center, organized by Tanggol Migrante WA, the Washington State Nurses Association, Malaya Movement Tacoma and PUSO Tacoma [1]. Participants cited ongoing immigration enforcement inside the hospital as a threat to patient safety and staff wellbeing. The gathering was part of a broader “ICE Out of Hospitals” campaign targeting detention practices in health‑care settings.

Contract Links Hospital, ICE, and Private Detention Firm Organizers presented a contract disclosed in Oct. 2025 that binds St. Joseph Medical Center, ICE and the GEO Group, a private detention company, to allow monitoring of detained migrants while they receive medical care [1]. The agreement allegedly permits ICE officials to access patient records and coordinate care with detention staff, raising concerns about confidentiality and the standard of treatment. Critics argue the contract blurs the line between health services and immigration enforcement.

Loaded Firearm Incident Raises Safety Alarm In the same month, an ICE contractor from the Northwest ICE Processing Center left a loaded handgun in a St. Joseph bathroom, prompting staff to call police and the Washington State Nurses Association to label the event “atrociously unsafe” for patients, staff and visitors [1]. The incident intensified calls for stricter oversight of contractors operating within health facilities. Police recovered the weapon without injury, but the episode highlighted gaps in security protocols for external law‑enforcement partners.

Hospital Denies Participation in Immigration Enforcement St. Joseph Medical Center and its parent organization, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, issued a statement asserting they provide “high‑quality, compassionate care” and “do not participate in immigration enforcement activities,” adding that staff follow established protocols when law‑enforcement officials are lawfully present [1]. The hospital emphasized its commitment to patient confidentiality and medical ethics. It has not disclosed the full terms of the Oct. 2025 contract, citing confidentiality agreements.

Recent Court Ruling Highlights Medical Neglect in ICE Custody A federal judge last week ordered the release of a Filipino immigrant after finding that medical neglect while he was detained by ICE rendered his confinement unconstitutional [1]. The ruling underscores growing judicial scrutiny of ICE’s handling of detainee health care. Advocates see the decision as precedent for challenging similar detention‑related medical abuses nationwide.

DHS Rescinds Sensitive Locations Guidance, Expands ICE Discretion In Jan. 2025, the Department of Homeland Security withdrew guidance that had limited enforcement actions at hospitals, schools and churches, allowing ICE officers to use “common sense” discretion when operating in such settings [1]. The policy change gives ICE broader authority to conduct raids and arrests in traditionally protected spaces. Critics argue the rescission undermines public safety and erodes trust in essential community institutions.