No Borders NewsWashington Attorney General Nick Brown joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE to change course on a new policy that stops investigations and public reporting of some deaths that happen shortly after people are released from ICE custody.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director David Venturella, Brown and the coalition call the policy a step away from transparency and accountability. They argue it could make it harder for the public and oversight bodies to learn about unsafe or abusive conditions in detention facilities.
The letter says ICE is required to follow national detention standards, including health screenings, access to necessary medical and mental health care, and safe and sanitary conditions. It also notes that Congress has required ICE to investigate and report deaths that occur during detention, and that ICE previously sought reviews for deaths within 30 days after release.
The coalition warns that ending these investigations and reports could create a harmful incentive for facilities to release critically ill or mistreated people shortly before they die to avoid scrutiny tied to deaths in ICE custody. The letter also points to rising numbers of deaths in ICE custody and reduced access for outside public health checks.
Brown’s statement highlights concerns about GEO Group’s Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, including reports of unsafe conditions and denial of prescribed medications. The letter says the company has refused to allow Washington’s Department of Health inspectors into the facility, even though state law requires access.
For the most accurate details, readers can review the official letter referenced in the Washington AG’s announcement on the Attorney General’s website.