The ACLU of Washington, along with 17 other state affiliates, filed a series of claims against federal immigration officials for damages to immigrants — and U.S. citizens — who have faced physical and emotional damage due to recent enforcement efforts.

In one case, nurses who were trying to provide medical care to injured protesters were slammed to the ground. In a local case in Washington state, a family of six asylum seekers claims U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials detained them in a windowless cell for four weeks in 2025.

The family, originally from Southwest Africa, tried fleeing to Canada after a judge ordered them deported. CBP officials detained them in Blaine near the border last year, and didn’t allow them to shower or leave the cell for the first weeks, according to documents sent to government officials.

Josefina — one of the family members, who was five months pregnant at the time — asked officials for help because the cell was so hot that she was getting dizzy and had trouble breathing. Eventually, she had to be taken to a hospital.

“ Customs and Border Protection just ignored the doctors,” said David Montes, an attorney with the ACLU of Washington, which is representing the family.

“They put her right back in the cell in the same conditions, and less than a week later she’d passed out again and had to be transported to the emergency room again.”

The ACLU of Washington is not sharing the family’s last name or additional identifying information because they fear retaliation from their home country. The family is requesting $15 million in damages, and federal officials now have six months to respond before the tort claim is officially filed in court.

Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has previously disputed some of the claims.

Earlier this month, Rep. Pramila Jayapal called for independent investigations into the recent ICE-related shootings that claimed the lives of two men in Texas and Maine.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also called for stronger independent oversight of the United States immigration detention system.

Esmy Jimenez is a reporter with KUOW. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/31/washington-aclu-sues-federal-immigrant-officials/