Conditions at the Northwest Detention Center: Research Update

  • Date: February 3, 2023
NWDC Conditions Research Update: Three Years of Cleanliness Concerns, No Consequences

This new research update from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights (UWCHR) shares documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) revealing that despite voicing concerns about cleanliness at the NWDC multiple times over the course of three years, ICE has refused to hold the company operating the detention facility, GEO, responsible for operation contract compliance.

This research update is part of an ongoing multi-part investigation of human rights concerns at the facility. Explore the full report, published as a series covering areas including:

• Introduction
• Background, Methodology, and Human Rights Standards
• Sanitation of Food and Laundry
• Allegations of Medical Neglect
• Use of Solitary Confinement
• COVID-19 and Health Standards
• Reporting of Sexual Assault and Abuse
• Uses of Force and Chemical Agents
 Research Update: Three Years of Cleanliness Concerns, No Consequences