Tacoma, WA – On September 1, the International Migrant’s Alliance – USA (IMA USA) and La Resistencia hosted a rally for solidarity with immigrants and to shut down the Northwest Detention Center. The All Out for Migrant Defense rally was attended by over 850 people.

Many of the attendees traveled from Portland, Oregon as part of the closing event of the 2025 IMA USA and Tanggol Migrante Political Conference. This included a large caravan of over 50 cars and two school buses.

The Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma has become the place for many organizations to unite to fight the United States’ immigration policy. Other organizations like International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Seattle, Bayan Washington, and the Oregon Rising Coalition also attended.

Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers and member of the Oregon Rising Coalition spoke on behalf of the importance of building unity between labor unions and community-based organizations, stating, “This alliance has come together to improve the lives of the working class by taking back power and wealth that has been extracted by our communities.”

This call for unity has followed an interstate effort to end the inhumane conditions at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). The NWDC is managed by a publicly traded company called the GEO Group that receives money from the U.S. government to imprison people during the immigration process.

La Resistencia has been documenting the conditions at the NWDC for over 11 years and has received reports from detainees that conditions are getting even worse. One of the leaders of La Resistencia reported that detainees were being kept in the detention center long after they should have been released or deported. They also said that one detainee had to survive a seven-day hunger strike to finally get deported.

The rally included further testimony of families of those detained in the NWDC. Three different families were able to speak about the horrible conditions inside of the facility. Each speech had a common theme: end the contract with the detention center and to treat all working people with dignity.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #IMA #LaResistencia #PAT #ORC #TanggolMigrante

Tacoma, WA – Over 150 demonstrators gathered outside the Northwest ICE Immigrant Detention Center Sunday, September 1 to demand closure of the facility.

“We are here to show solidarity with those inside who are protesting their wrongful imprisonment,” said Rufina Reyes, director of La Resistencia. “We are here every day, but today is special because we are joined by the organization Tsuru for Solidarity, celebrating the resilience of their ancestors who survived the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.”

The program began with a taiko performance by a coalition of seven taiko drumming groups in Washington state. Many protesters wore yukata. After the taiko performance, members of the Puyallup Water Warriors Council and other Coast Salish Indigenous people gave a land acknowledgement and performed two drum prayers for the crowd.

After the early performances, a group of detainees video called from inside the detention center in order to speak with the crowd.

Addressing a growing crowd of hundreds, one detainee said: “Keep doing what you’re doing, keep supporting us, because it’s what’s giving us hope to continue fighting.”

The caller continued, “There’s many people in here who can’t speak English, so I advocate for them. Then I’m the one who gets retaliated against because they know I act as a spokesperson for those who can’t stand up for themselves.”

The crowd responded with a series of chants including “When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!”

A second detainee then joined the video call and addressed the crowd in Spanish. Maru Mora Villalpando, founder of La Resistencia, translated for the crowd, “Inside here we have no rights. We want to fight for our rights, so we need you to keep fighting so we have the hope. There are many people inside with families. I have four children, and ICE doesn’t care what happens to them. They say to us ‘don’t worry, America will take care of them’ but that’s not true, America is not taking care of them, America will not do what parents need to do for their children.”

The crowd responded with another series of chants including: “¡No están solos! You are not alone!” and “¡Chinga la Migra! Fuck ICE!”

The program continued throughout the afternoon with more chants, healing ceremonies, food and folk dancing. The attitude of the crowd was both celebratory and somber, as summed up by Reyes: “We are really happy to see so many people out here, but we need more. On the inside, they are happy because they know we’re still out here fighting.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #LaResistencia

Tacoma, WA – On March 20, approximately 50 people gathered in front of the Northwest Detention Center as part of the 24/7 vigil currently being led by La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity.

The 24/7 vigil was organized in response to the horrific conditions within the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), specifically, the alleged suicide of Charles Leo Daniel, a 61-year-old man who spent two years in solitary confinement. After the death of Daniel, at least five other detainees attempted suicide in the following days. In response to this tragedy, over 300 detainees have gone on hunger strike with several community members joining them in solidarity.

Maru Mora-Villalpando, the founder of La Resistencia who is on hunger strike, said, “If I end up in the hospital, it’s on them, it’s their lack of response. We’re asking so little. Say something, say something about Mr. Daniel, why won’t you?”

For this particular day, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) endorsed the vigil and led the demonstrators in protest against the NWDC.

Clio Jensen, a rank-and-file member of Unite Here Local 8, spoke about the recent campaign at her workplace, where workers won a strong contract that included translation rights and banned their employer from working with ICE. Jensen stated, “When we fight for and win protections for immigrant workers at our workplaces, we are making the entire labor movement stronger, and we’re making all of our movements stronger!”

In addition to chants of “Shut it down!” and “Fuck ICE! Fuck GEO!” the demonstrators sang along to the iconic labor song Which Side Are You On? changing the chorus lyrics to “Free them all tonight” and “Chinga la migra”.

Mantak Singh, a member of the FRSO, said, “ For myself, in the Punjabi community, many of us don’t speak English. If we do, we’d rather speak Punjabi in our homes, businesses and community. My parents speak Punjabi. But when you see people pushing for us to speak English, not Punjabi, in schools and on the street, that’s taking away identity, taking away culture.”

The NWDC detains immigrants of many different nationalities and religions, including a significant number of Punjabi detainees. Muslim detainees inside have reported disrespectful conditions that make their observance of Ramadan impossible.

After a hot meal provided by FRSO member Gemini Gnull, and several speakers, chanting, and singing, the demonstrators concluded with a guided grieving and empowerment meditation. Tears streamed down the cheeks of several attendees, and despite the tragic circumstances, the crowd kept their eyes locked on victory. “I’m sick and tired of this shit,” said Gnull. “We’ve got to shut it down. And we’re going to.”

#TacomaWA #SeattleWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #FRSO #LaResistencia

Tacoma, WA - On March 12, an encampment began outside Tacoma’s Northwest Detention Center in response to the death of Charles Leo Daniel, who committed suicide after over two years of solitary confinement. This followed two subsequent suicide attempts inside the detention center. 

La Resistencia, a group that has been organizing to shut down the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) for over a decade, led the action alongside Tsuru for Solidarity. 300 detainees have also gone on hunger strike while eight hunger strikers have joined from the outside. 

The Northwest Detention Center is a for-profit prison for ICE detainees owned and managed by the Geo Group.  

Maru Mora-Villalpando, a La Resistencia leader, stated the organization was present “to watch ICE because lives are in danger.” 

Mora-Villalpando, one of the outside hunger strikers, said she will not be ending her hunger strike until Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray agree to conduct an independent investigation into the NWDC. 

Throughout the week, ambulances arrived at least once a day, and on March 14 a laundry fire broke out. Geo Group refused to evacuate the building even though flames were seen rising from the roof. No one was seriously injured. 

On March 16, an event hosted by La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity brought 60 people to the gates of the camp – gates resting eerily next to train tracks along the heavily polluted Tacoma waterfront. The people present marched to the camp, chanted “Chinga la migra,” followed by an opening ceremony. 

Becca Asaki, whose family was sent to internment camps during World War II, stated she was there because “our struggles are connected. There is a long history of forced removal, and family separation, and mass incarceration, and mass deportation, that my family experienced, that many families have experienced for generations.” 

Protesters also did a hand washing ceremony to honor the hunger strikers both inside and outside along with a grieving ceremony, followed by speeches from inside the detention center and a cultural offering from the detainees. 

“Direct action gets the goods and is the most effective tactic we working-class people have to end the oppression we all face. Now, more than ever, anyone in the Tacoma area who claims to care for their fellow man, must get to the center and stand in solidarity with our brothers detained, because an injury to one is an injury to all,” said Sean Marakin, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization who has been out supporting La Resistencia at the encampment. “Geo and ICE can laugh at us, but at the end of the day they are afraid of us,” added Maru Mora-Villalpando. 

Organizers are still camped out outside of the Northwest Detention Center and are urging the community to continue to show up to daily vigils and support the encampment.

#TacomaWA #LaResistencia #ChingaLaMigra #JusticeforCharlesLeoDaniel #ShutDownNWDC