The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU) is suing one of the largest detention centers for undocumented immigrants in the country to protect an inmate who claims to have suffered retaliation after participating in a hunger strike at the facility.
Jesus Chavez Flores was assaulted by a guard at the Northwest Detention Center in early February and was placed in solitary confinement beginning Feb. 10, according to the ACLU. Flores was one of 120 inmates who participated in the hunger strike beginning Feb. 7. The strike was meant to protest conditions at the facility, including meals and low wages for work done at the center.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson has sued GEO Group, the for-profit business that runs Northwest Detention Center, over wage issues. Inmates were paid $1 a day for cooking, cleaning and maintenance.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC
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