Founded in 2014, La Resistencia is a volunteer group created in response to the detention and removal processes against illegal immigrants taking place at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. The group advocates for abolishing detentions and the deportations of illegal immigrants, ¹ as well as the closure of the Northwest Detention Center. ²

La Resistencia is a sponsored project of Tides Advocacy, a left-of-center advocacy organization. ³

Background

Based in Tacoma, Washington, La Resistencia is a grassroots organization that advocates for abolishing illegal-immigrant detentions and deportations. La Resistencia was founded in March 2014 under the #Not1More campaign in response to a hunger strike to protest confinements in the Northwest Detention Center, ⁴ a detention center owned by the GEO Group. ⁵ La Resistencia claims to be led by “those who have been detained or have had relatives in deportation proceedings.” ⁶

Programs

In 2018, La Resistencia joined the #NoTechForICE campaign and denounced the technology industry’s alleged participation in the “detention and deportation machine.” La Resistencia claims that the industry provided software and devices to officials to track illegal immigrants and also sells data it gathers online from sources like social media. ⁷

In July 2020, La Resistencia initiated Resolution No. 40636 in the City of Tacoma to advocate for protecting detainees from viral outbreaks related to COVID-19. ⁸ The resolution recommended that the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel at the “Northwest ICE Processing Center” to advocate for COVID-19 tests for detainees, ensure compliance with medical guidelines, and encourage the proper use of disinfectants within the center. ⁹ The Tacoma city council unanimously adopted the resolution and it was signed by the Mayor of Tacoma on August 4, 2020. ¹⁰

La Resistencia also seeks to end the collaboration between Washington’s Department of Corrections (DOC) and ICE by expanding the “Keep Washington Working” bill to prohibit all state agencies, including the DOC, from collaborating with ICE. ¹¹ La Resistencia promoted legislation in 2023 in an attempt to end the collaboration, but was unsuccessful. ¹²

Funding

La Resistencia is a sponsored project of Tides Advocacy, a left-of-center advocacy organization. ¹³ La Resistencia is part of Tides Advocacy’s “equality and human rights” focus area alongside other organizations including the Alliance for Safety and Justice, Dream Defenders, and Smart Justice. ¹⁴ La Resistencia also solicits donations for “mutual aid” that are used to support individuals who have been deported by ICE as well as funding commissary accounts for detainees. ¹⁵

1. “With NWDC a ‘Tinderbox’ for COVID-19 Outbreak, Detained People Begin Mass Hunger Strike to Highlight Their Plight.” La Resistencia, March 28, 2020. http://laresistencianw.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hunger-Strike-Press-Release.pdf.
2. La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/.
3. “Donate.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/donate/.
4. La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/.
5. La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/.
6. La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/.
7. “#notechforice No Digital Prisons.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 17, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/notechforice-no-digital-prisons%ef%bf%bc/.
8. Resolution no. 40636 – City of Tacoma. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.cityoftacoma.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/cms/OEHR/Northwest ICE Processing Center/Resolution No 40636.pdf.
9. Resolution no. 40636 – City of Tacoma. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.cityoftacoma.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/cms/OEHR/Northwest ICE Processing Center/Resolution No 40636.pdf.
10. Resolution no. 40636 – City of Tacoma. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.cityoftacoma.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/cms/OEHR/Northwest ICE Processing Center/Resolution No 40636.pdf.
11. “End Doc & Ice Collaboration.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 17, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/end-doc-ice-collaboration/.
12. “End Doc & Ice Collaboration.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 17, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/end-doc-ice-collaboration/.
13. “Donate.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/donate/.
14. “Equality & Human Rights.” Tides Advocacy. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.tidesadvocacy.org/focus-areas/equality-and-human-rights.
15. “Donate.” La Resistencia. Accessed May 17, 2024. https://laresistencianw.org/donate/.