Last Friday, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, toured the Homeland Security Investigations facility in Ferndale.
The agency investigates human trafficking, financial crimes, drugs and cross-border smuggling, and not civil immigration violations. The offices, processing and detention spaces consolidated into this building, located in an industrial park in Ferndale, where Larsen also visited the Enforcement Removal Operations building in July.
In a call, Larsen said there were no detainees at the time of his visit, and that about 50 people work in the facility. He learned that the investigation agency’s staff were assigned to do Enforcement Removal Operations’ civil immigration enforcement in 2025 because enforcement agency was understaffed, and that this collaboration ended at the beginning of 2026.
The Homeland Security Investigations building features three small holding cells that he said could hold no more than two people at a time. Detainees can stay there for a maximum of 12 hours and have access to food, medical treatment and a phone room; no one has been held for more than four hours this year, staff told him.
Detainees are moved out by 10 a.m. and transferred to Seattle where they will go through the criminal process, he said.
Larsen said he will follow up with more questions to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and will try to get more information about Homeland Security Investigations’ operations last year.
“I support HSI’s mission to stop child and drug trafficking, and HSI agents should do HSI work,” he stated in a press release.
For assistance in locating a loved one in ICE custody and access legal services, call 425-252-3188 or visit larsen.house.gov/helping-you/visas-and-immigration.htm.
