#UW students, join our team and get hands-on research experience! We’re seeking 1-2 undergrad student researchers to join our Unfinished Sentences team, declassifying government documents related to historic human rights violations in El Salvador. More info: jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/...

Looking for a quick review of our presentation earlier this month in Yakima, covering recent findings and trends in immigration enforcement in Washington state? ➡️ ALPR dangers ➡️ WA DOL data sharing with ICE/CBP ➡️ arrest trends Read more here: www.sunnysidesun.com/news/yvc-for...

"Mo’s arrest could also be another example of federal agents using WA state driver’s license data to carry out an arrest. His arrest document includes details consistent with other arrests in which federal immigration agents have done so." www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

The WA Department of Licensing continues to share data on WA drivers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, assisting in roadside immigration arrests. “The state has had six years to solve that problem, and it’s too late now to say, ‘give us more time.’” www.king5.com/article/news...

What tools are ICE and CBP using to track Washingtonians? Today's Seattle Times reporting covers two of UWCHR's recent findings: ➡️ sharing of WA Flock automated license plate data in 2025 ➡️ continued sharing of WA Dept of Licensing data via Nlets Read more: www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Through Nlets and the WA Department of Licensing, federal immigration enforcement agents can look up your vehicle's plate number and find out your name, your address, and more. WA state could cut off ICE/CBP access to DOL data.

For years, people inside the NW ICE Processing Center have sounded the alarms about conditions and treatment at the facility. A lawsuit filed last Wednesday in Pierce County Superior Court describes some of the abuses that people detained there endure. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Prosser becomes first Benton County city to stop using Flock ALPR surveillance systems, as controversy over access to the data grows. UWCHR research cited: www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/c...

"They wouldn't have pulled him over if they didn't know his name and they found that out from the Department of Licensing data." Looking for a good overview of WA Dept. of Licensing-ICE/CBP data sharing? Tune into this episode of @citycastseattle.bsky.social: seattle.citycast.fm/podcasts/how...

"It is never safe, it is never democratic, to empower any law enforcement agency to effectively become a secret police—and ICE has been doing that for a very long time." UWCHR's Angelina Godoy joins @inthemeanwhile.bsky.social podcast, listen here:

Research update: WA DOL continues its "roadside assists" to ICE/CBP immigration investigations UWCHR researchers have verified 6 additional cases where WA drivers were arrested by ICE/CBP following a search of WA DOL data, at least 2 of which are confirmed to have been civil immigration arrests.

Nueva investigación: Las autoridades federales de migración están accediendo a la base de datos del Departamento de Licencias de WA a través de un sistema de intercambio de datos llamado Nlets, administrado localmente por la Patrulla Estatal de WA. Lee el resumen ejecutivo: tinyurl.com/NletsWAesp

Fed agents in MN appear to be accessing driver and vehicle data. "Agents took photos of Levy and other observers’ license plates. Then a masked agent walked up to Judy Levy’s passenger side window. The agent said: 'Hello Judith. How are you today?'" In WA, CBP agents can query DOL data via Nlets.

#UW Students: Looking for funding for your #humanrights research and projects? We have funding for you! Our 2026 application cycle is open Feb 9 - Mar 19. Learn more about our funds here: jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/... Join an info session: jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/...

The University of Washington Center for Human Rights reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is still accessing state license data to aid mass deportation, despite state efforts to limit such access. Story: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/12/u...

“These folks are real Washingtonians who have been affected. They are people with lives and families and communities and rights, and they have been harmed by the fact that the DOL allows these agencies to access its data.” - Angelina Godoy, UWCHR director washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/08/i...

Our new report, “Roadside Assist,” reveals ongoing pathways through which Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) allows access to drivers’ data by fed immigration enforcement agencies. Read more: www.tinyurl.com/NletsWA

ICYMI: UWCHR's Phil Neff joins the @rangemedia.co podcast to talk Flock—how Flock's automated license plate readers work, what they do, and the effects they’re having on the people in our communities. Listen here: rangemedia.co/pod-diving-b...

We're very excited to be supporting a new project at the Center for Human Rights, led by the Puyallup Tribal Historic Preservation Department, in partnership with UW faculty Dr. Rocha Beardall and a team of graduate and undergraduate researchers. Learn more: jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/...

ICYMI: DHS signs contract to purchase 6 planes for ICE Air fleet. "It's interesting how much of what we know about ICE Air, and deportation flights in general, comes from WA state." Hear @mckenziefunk.com share about how ICE Air works now, and what we might expect: www.kuow.org/stories/what...

In WA, Skamania County and the cities of Olympia, Redmond and Lynnwood recently turned off their cameras, at least temporarily. The changes came after @uwchr.bsky.social 's report exposing weaknesses in the security of Flock cameras and a county court ruled data collected by ALPRs is public record.

In a letter yesterday to ICE, congressional members demand answers for lack of access to medical care, inadequate provision of meals, and barriers to accessing legal counsel at the NW ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA. Read the full letter: www.murray.senate.gov/wp-content/u...

How do local, out-of-state, and federal agencies search Flock databases? The next installment in @rangemedia.co's series on Spokane County's use of Flock surveillance technology dives into that question, looking at immigration related searches.

After more than four decades, perpetrators of the 1981 El Mozote massacre in El Salvador may finally face justice. This week, a Salvadoran judge opened the door to a trial of the former Minister of Defense and 12 officers of the U.S.-trained battalion. More info from @cristosal.bsky.social below.

This Wednesday, celebrate #InternationalHumanRightsDay by joining us at UW Bothell for a showcase of student research from the Washington, D.C. Human Rights Seminar! Dec 10, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. North Creek Events Center, UW Bothell calendar.washington.edu/bot_campus/H...

What do we mean when we say ICE is accessing Flock data? Hear from UWCHR's Phil Neff on @opb.org discussing findings from our recent report, "Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems Expose Washington Data to Immigration Enforcement." Listen here: www.opb.org/article/2025...

"'Had an abortion, search for female' is not a valid reason for a search under the [Spokane County Sheriff's Office] policy, Gregory said, because abortion is not a crime in Washington." Who is searching Spokane County's data from their 60+ Flock cameras, and why? rangemedia.co/flock-safety...

New report from @hrw.org and @cristosal.bsky.social covers experiences of Venezuelan nationals sent by the Trump administration to El Salvador's CECOT prison. "The prison director told us, 'You have arrived in hell.'"

"The real question is not just, 'Does this solve crime?' It’s, 'What kind of infrastructure are we building for the future, and who ultimately controls that data?' The long-term civil liberties risked are far greater than the advertised short-term benefits." www.heraldnet.com/opinion/edit...

"I have a detainee here who has been assaulted and would like to file a police report." "Do you want officers to respond to do the report?" "I just need a case number." What happens when someone tries to report an assault from inside the NWDC? jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/...

10 years ago we filed our first FOIA lawsuit, suing the CIA seeking release of docs related to El Salvador's 1981 Santa Cruz massacre. Today, we continue using public records laws to investigate local and int'l human rights issues, in partnership with those working for justice and accountability.

Similar to Washington state, Connecticut invests public retirement money into Signature Aviation, a fixed-based operator which services ICE Air, profiting from deportations. Local CT groups are asking the state to divest. www.wshu.org/connecticut-...

“We didn’t know” is not a sufficient explanation for WA law enforcement agencies allowing Border Patrol access to surveillance networks. What happens to Washington state data generated by Flock surveillance systems? Learn more in our latest report: www.tinyurl.com/WAflock

Washington state's use of technology should not be a threat to accessing essential health care, as Alizeh Bhojani of @legalvoice.org says. However, our latest report highlights the danger of WA's use of Flock surveillance systems. Learn more: jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/...

"Huge amounts of information about the movements of WA state residents that advocates fear could be used for civil immigration enforcement, for things like criminalization of access to reproductive healthcare or gender-affirming care in WA state." -Phil Neff, UWCHR komonews.com/news/local/v...

“[Flock] maps people’s movements, their behaviors. It creates real risk around overreach and misuse of the surveillance technology to target people. The report that came out today shows this has not been a hypothetical concern.” -Tee Sannon, @acluwa.bsky.social www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

New report! “Leaving the Door Wide Open" finds Flock Safety automated license plate reader technology threatens Washingtonians’ rights to privacy, protections for immigrants, and access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare. Read the report: www.tinyurl.com/WAflock

UWCHR analysis of Deportation Data Project datasets cited in yesterday's @opb.org coverage of Portland's ICE building. www.opb.org/article/2025...

UW students! Don't miss this opportunity to work with the great folks at the @uwbridgescenter.bsky.social

The current contract between ICE and GEO Group for the operation of the Northwest ICE Processing Center is set to end tomorrow, September 27th. But what's next is unknown. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Today's @nytimes.com article reports on the horrible conditions inside immigration detention centers that exacerbate mental health crises, citing UWCHR research. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/h...

NEW: The @uwchr.bsky.social found that ICE and CBP are disappearing Washington residents. What does this mean? Read online at Gossip Guy, or find it in print @realchangenews.bsky.social later this week: gossipguy.net/ice-and-cbp-...

“In WA, our most famous philanthropist grows his investments in part by supporting a company complicit in gross human rights abuses, potentially ascending to the level of crimes against humanity." @huffpost.com explores links between Bill Gates & mass deportation: www.huffpost.com/entry/bill-g...

Latest visual investigation by @financialtimes.com cites UWCHR analysis of ICE data sets obtained by the Deportation Data Project at the UC Berkeley School of Law.

New reporting exposes the latest collaboration between WA Dept. of Licensing and ICE—a collaboration that is prohibited by the Keep Washington Working Act. "Clearly relying on agencies to 'audit themselves' is not enough." - UWCHR Director Angelina Godoy www.king5.com/article/news...

Enforced disappearance and refoulement of Washingtonians is happening, right here, in our backyard, as @laresistencianw.bsky.social organizer Josefina Mora-Cheung says.

VIDEO: @uwchr.bsky.social and @laresistencianw.bsky.social on the 16 enforced disappearances by ICE & CBP in Washington State since Trump took office. These include deportations to CECOT in El Salvador, South Sudan, transfers to Guantánamo Bay and families being held for weeks without legal counsel.

📢NEW REPORT!📢 What are the connections between WA state and gross human rights violations against migrants by ICE and CBP? ➡️ tinyurl.com/WAdisappeara...

Today's @seattletimes.com article provides a snapshot of what immigration arrest trends are looking like in WA state, citing UWCHR analysis of national data. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

"These are the kinds of stories that should sound alarm bells in the heads of all people concerned about human rights in this state," said Angelina Godoy, director of the University of Washington's Center for Human Rights. www.king5.com/article/news...