Tacoma ICE Detention Center Population Shrinks Despite New Contract

The facility's capacity has increased, but the number of detainees has dropped significantly in recent months.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:21am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, photorealistic painting of a solitary barbed wire fence surrounding an empty, nondescript immigration detention center, with the building bathed in warm, golden sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the complex politics of immigration enforcement.The Tacoma detention center's shrinking population reflects broader trends in immigration enforcement, raising questions about the administration's priorities ahead of the midterm elections.Tacoma Today

The Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington has seen a sharp decrease in its population, dropping from nearly 1,600 detainees last year to just 919 as of last Friday. This is despite a new contract with the GEO Group that increases the facility's capacity to 1,635 people. Immigration advocates and experts suggest the Biden administration may be temporarily scaling back immigration enforcement efforts ahead of the midterm elections, though they warn the slowdown is likely temporary.

Why it matters

The fluctuations in the Tacoma detention center's population reflect broader trends in immigration enforcement nationwide, with arrests and deportations declining in recent months. This raises questions about the administration's immigration priorities and the potential for a renewed crackdown after the midterm elections.

The details

The Tacoma facility was previously operating at capacity, with dozens of detainees transferred to an Alaska jail last year due to overcrowding. But the population has now dropped significantly, with advocates reporting that residential pods have been consolidated and at least two units have been closed. Officials from ICE and the GEO Group, which runs the facility, have declined to provide explanations for the decrease.

  • Last June, the Tacoma facility was holding a maximum of 1,575 people.
  • As of last Friday, the number of detainees had dropped to 919.
  • In late March, ICE agreed to a new contract with GEO Group that increases the facility's capacity to 1,635.

The players

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and detention.

GEO Group

A private prison company that has operated the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma since 2005.

Suzan DelBene

A Democratic U.S. Representative from Washington's 1st congressional district, who visited the Tacoma facility on Friday.

Lydia Zepeda

A member of Tacoma's Commission on Immigration and Refugee Affairs, who regularly visits the detention center.

Deborah Fleischaker

A former chief of staff at ICE under the Biden administration.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I don't know what's going on.”

— Lydia Zepeda, Member, Tacoma Commission on Immigration and Refugee Affairs

“They're clearly trying to take the temperature down. That doesn't mean that they still aren't aggressively looking to arrest and deport people, or that the temperature stays down.”

— Deborah Fleischaker, Former ICE Chief of Staff

“We don't want to be lulled into a false sense of complacency.”

— Kathleen Carson, President, Seattle Indivisible

What’s next

The judge overseeing the habeas petitions filed by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project will continue to rule on the release of detainees held at the Tacoma facility. Immigration advocates are also closely watching whether ICE enforcement efforts ramp up again after the midterm elections.

The takeaway

The fluctuations in the Tacoma detention center's population reflect the Biden administration's complex and shifting approach to immigration enforcement, with signs of a temporary slowdown that may not last beyond the midterm elections. This highlights the ongoing tensions and uncertainty around the federal government's immigration policies.