After activists push back, Tacoma council makes another statement condemning ICE
The Tacoma City Council has approved a statement condemning the actions of federal immigration enforcement, a decision that comes after it clashed with activists over the issue earlier this year.
Protestors with groups like the Pierce County Immigration Alliance staged demonstrations outside City Hall at the beginning of 2026, calling for city leaders to take stronger action to condemn federal immigration authorities and the presence of the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. Tensions between organizers and council came to a head in a February meeting when their cheering and chanting resulted in a brief recess – a rarity for Tacoma City Council meetings.
City leaders at the time said they needed to be realistic about the statements they make and actions they take related to federal law enforcement. They said they couldn’t address all the demands the activists had – like a call for the city to demand the immediate “cessation” of immigration enforcement in Tacoma.
At its May 5 meeting, the council unanimously passed a resolution “condemning the broader pattern of overzealous, unjust, and dangerous enforcement actions carried out during recent federal immigration enforcement actions.” The statement reaffirmed its opposition to private, for-profit detention centers.
Council member Olgy Diaz, one of the sponsors of the measure, said the statement isn’t a “rubber-stamp resolution.”
“For us to be a city who has answered the calls from our community in this way is very critical and very important,” she said, appearing to get emotional.
Rie Guerrero, a member of the Pierce County Immigration Alliance, said she was happy to see the council sign off on the statement but said the group still was looking to see the city take stronger action to support immigrants, such as divesting the city’s employee retirement fund from GEO Group, the company that runs the Northwest ICE Processing Center. The city has said doing so would be complicated.
“We see this as a win for the people’s movement against ICE,” Guerrero told The News Tribune. “However, we do want to echo that this is one of many demands that the community has and that we are still fighting for the material demands beyond just the condemnation.”
“This resolution does not provide material support for immigrants who are facing this brutality,” she added.
It’s the latest in an array of statements the council has made against ICE, including two this year condemning the killing of Renee Good, who died at the hands of ICE officers.
Three attendees at the May 5 meeting spoke about the statement during public comment. They largely spoke in favor of the council’s actions.
“I’m glad the city is reiterating its support of Washington state laws and calling on Congress to make changes in immigration funding and policies,” Tacoma resident Lydia Zepeda said.
Diaz also sponsored a resolution that would bar federal immigration authorities from using city-owned property without the permission and consent of the city. The council discussed the resolution at the May 5 meeting and will give its final vote on the matter at its May 12 meeting.
