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Tukwila Council Votes Six‑Month Ban as ICE Expands Warehouse Detention Sites Nationwide

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  • ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop
    ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop (Credit: via ap) Source Full size
  • ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop
    ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    ICE is quietly buying warehouses for detention centers and leaving local officials out of the loop (Credit: via ap) Source Full size

Tukwila Enacts Unanimous Six‑Month Moratorium The Tukwila City Council approved a 7‑0 vote on Feb 24, 2026, imposing a six‑month prohibition on any new ICE detention facilities, with a provision to extend the ban [1]. Council members cited rumors of an ICE lease in Riverfront Technical Park and emphasized zoning limits on private agreements [1]. The city announced emergency legislation and a public‑comment session for the next meeting, while property owners declined to comment and ICE offered no response [1]. Regional leaders mirrored the action: SeaTac already has a moratorium, Seattle introduced comparable legislation, and King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda announced a county‑wide ban [1].

ICE Purchases Hundreds of Thousands of Square Feet in Secret DHS closed a $122.8 million deal on Feb 21, 2026, acquiring three warehouses totaling 826,000 sq ft in Socorro, Texas, without notifying local officials [2]. Nationwide, ICE has secured at least 20 warehouses in more than 20 towns, including a 418,000‑sq‑ft facility in Surprise, Arizona for $70 million and a $102.4 million warehouse near Baltimore, as part of a $45 billion detention‑center expansion [2][3]. Federal documents reveal a $38.3 billion budget to add 92,000 detention beds across eight 7,000‑10,000‑bed centers and 16 regional processing sites, funded by the recent tax‑cut bill [2]. The Surprise purchase includes a $150 million retrofit plan to create a 1,500‑bed processing site [3].

Local Leaders Cite Tax Losses and Infrastructure Strain County officials in Berks County, Pennsylvania warned that the $87.4 million warehouse purchase would deprive the county of over $800,000 in property‑tax revenue [2]. Similar utility‑capacity concerns emerged in Social Circle, Georgia, and Surprise, Arizona, where water and sewage systems could be overwhelmed [2]. After community pressure, owners in Woodbury and Shakopee, Minnesota; Platform Ventures in Kansas City; and a Texas real‑estate firm withdrew from ICE deals [3]. Legal scholars note that challenging federal acquisitions is difficult, though former DOJ attorney Eduardo Castillo highlighted the risk of “another inhumane detention facility” if opposition falters [2]; Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte publicly disputed DHS’s claimed economic benefits [3].

Hospital Contract and Community Protest Highlight Health Risks On Feb 21, 2026, a Tacoma town hall organized by Tanggol Migrante WA and nursing groups protested ICE’s presence at St. Joseph Medical Center, citing an October 2025 contract linking the hospital, ICE, and the GEO Group for migrant monitoring [4]. The same month, an ICE contractor left a loaded firearm in a hospital bathroom, prompting police involvement and safety concerns from the Washington State Nurses Association [4]. St. Joseph’s administration denied participation in immigration enforcement, asserting compliance with lawful law‑enforcement presence [4]. A recent federal ruling ordered the release of a Filipino detainee due to medical neglect, underscoring heightened judicial scrutiny of ICE’s health‑care practices [4].

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Timeline

Jan 2025 – DHS rescinds the “sensitive locations” guidance, removing limits on ICE enforcement at hospitals, schools and churches and allowing officers to act on “common sense” discretion, which expands federal reach into community spaces[5].

Oct 2025 – A contract disclosed links St. Joseph Medical Center, ICE and the GEO Group, permitting ICE to monitor detained migrants while they receive care, sparking concerns about surveillance in health settings[5].

Nov 2025 – Job ads appear for a potential ICE detention center at Newport municipal airport; local officials and residents publicly oppose the proposal, echoing earlier resistance to similar plans[7].

Dec 4, 2025 – Acuity International posts dozens of positions for a notional ICE detention facility in Portland near the airport, describing duties for wardens and security managers, while the Port of Portland and the Oregon Air National Guard deny any federal notification[7].

Dec 24, 2025 – The Washington Post releases DHS documents outlining an 80,000‑detainee nationwide network, naming Stafford, Virginia as one of seven large warehouses (5,000‑10,000 beds) and 16 smaller sites (up to 1,500 beds); County Supervisor Pamela Yeung warns that local zoning and infrastructure will be affected[2].

Jan 6, 2026 – Rep. Emily Randall visits the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, reports detainees cannot meet privately with doctors because ICE or GEO staff attend every appointment, and helps circulate a Democratic letter demanding a federal explanation of ongoing medical‑care gaps[6].

Jan 16, 2026 – ICE faces a statutory deadline to respond to the bipartisan congressional letter requesting details on medical‑care deficiencies at the Tacoma facility[6].

Feb 21, 2026 – ICE finalizes purchases of at least 20 warehouses nationwide, including a $70 million 418,000‑sq‑ft site in Surprise, AZ slated for a 1,500‑bed processing center; State prosecutor Kris Mayes says officials receive “no advance notice,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer notes the city “has not been contacted,” and New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte calls DHS’s economic impact summary “simply not true”[1].

Feb 21, 2026 – DHS secretly acquires three Socorro, TX warehouses for $122.8 million without notifying local leaders; Mayor Rudy Cruz Jr. says “no federal contact was made,” and Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach warns the $87.4 million purchase will cost the county over $800,000 in lost property taxes[4].

Feb 21, 2026 – A Tacoma town‑hall rally protests ICE’s presence inside St. Joseph Medical Center; the Washington State Nurses Association calls a loaded‑gun incident by an ICE contractor “atrociously unsafe,” while the hospital asserts it “does not participate in immigration enforcement activities”[5].

Feb 24, 2026 – Tukwila City Council votes 7‑0 to impose a six‑month moratorium on new detention centers, citing “local impacts on infrastructure, public safety and social services” as highlighted by County Supervisor Pamela Yeung; the council plans emergency legislation and a public‑comment session at its next meeting[3].

Future (2026‑2027) – The Tukwila moratorium may be extended pending community input, and DHS continues to pursue eight large‑scale detention facilities and 16 regional processing sites as part of its $45 billion expansion plan, with additional sites such as the planned Stafford, VA warehouse awaiting local zoning approvals[2][3].

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