The widow of a Yakima man who died while in federal immigration custody has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking records related to his detention and death, according to a complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court.
The complaint, filed by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) and Vanessa Osorio, seeks to compel ICE to release documents regarding the October 2024 death of José Manuel Sanchez Castro.
Sanchez, who had been arrested at his home in Eastern Washington, died five days after being booked into the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma, which is operated by the GEO Group, a private contractor.
Attorneys say Sanchez suffered severe withdrawal symptoms while in custody and died in the facility’s medical housing unit on Oct. 27. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
Now, Osorio — Sanchez’s wife — and immigrant rights advocates are demanding answers from ICE and GEO, alleging the agencies may have failed to follow federal policy regarding detainee medical care.
“The Freedom of Information Act exists for just such a purpose — to ensure an informed citizenry, promote official transparency, and provide a check against government impunity,” the complaint reads.
On Jan. 21, NWIRP, Osorio, and the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking all records related to Sanchez’s detention, medical treatment, and death.
That includes documents on his intake and booking, medical evaluations, housing assignments, video footage, and autopsy and death records. The group also submitted proof of death and a waiver of privacy protections to support the request.
Under FOIA guidelines, ICE had 20 business days to respond to the records request and invoked a 10-day extension. As of March 5, the deadline had passed without a response, the lawsuit says.
According to the complaint, ICE policy requires screening detainees for withdrawal symptoms upon arrival, providing appropriate behavioral health evaluations, and applying treatment protocols from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In addition, ICE is required to maintain records in accordance with federal archival standards and has specific policies for medical housing units and detainee healthcare.
NWIRP sent a preservation letter in December to both ICE and GEO, instructing them to retain all records related to Sanchez’s care and death.
The plaintiffs argue that ICE’s failure to release the records not only violates federal law but also obstructs efforts to ensure detainees receive proper medical care.
They say the documents are necessary to determine whether GEO and ICE staff followed protocol — and whether further legal action is warranted.
When reached for comment, ICE sent KIRO 7 a statement that reads, “ICE does not provide comments on litigation proceedings or outcomes.”
The Northwest ICE Processing Center, formerly known as the Northwest Detention Center, is one of the largest immigration detention facilities on the West Coast.
It has faced repeated scrutiny and lawsuits over conditions and medical care in recent years.
Osorio and NWIRP are seeking a court order requiring ICE to immediately produce the requested records, as well as legal fees and other relief.
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