TACOMA, WA (4/7/2026)—The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today celebrates the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ mandate that the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is finally authorized to conduct inspections at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC).
In 2023, Washington state passed HB 1470 (Ortiz-Self), which authorized unannounced DOH inspections of private detention facilities. GEO Group, which owns and operates NWIPC, sued the state in response, arguing that Washington had no authority to regulate a federal contractor. They won an initial court order blocking enforcement of the law and halting all inspections for nearly two years while hundreds of detainee complaints, including religious accommodation violations, went uninvestigated. Washington appealed, the Ninth Circuit overturned the block in August 2025, and GEO’s subsequent request for a full panel rehearing was denied on February 11, 2026. The law is now fully in effect.
Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director at CAIR-WA, said:
“CAIR-WA has been in support of this policy, advocating more protections for years. We have documented and reported on the persistent failure of the NWIPC to accommodate the religious needs of Muslim detainees—violations that are not only unconscionable, but unlawful. We are encouraged to hear that DOH has committed to conducting inspections of the Northwest ICE Processing Center in the near future, and we look forward to supporting that process.”
Faiza Duale, Deputy Legal Director at CAIR-WA, said:
“Detainees have a right to practice their religion with dignity, yet they are often unable to exercise this basic right. This is especially troubling during Ramadan, a holy month of additional devotion.”
Muslim detainees at the NWIPC have reported being denied the ability to freely practice their religion, including receiving inedible halal meals, and being told they must change units in order to receive Ramadan meals—a move that functions as punishment by separating detainees from the community relationships they have built. During this most recent Ramadan, advocacy groups in Washington received reports that Muslim detainees at the NWIPC were given non-halal meals or had their evening iftar meals delivered hours after sunset, forcing them to fast longer than required.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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