In Surprise, Arizona, residents are expressing mounting concerns over the establishment of a new immigration detention center in a warehouse recently acquired by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The facility, capable of housing up to 1,500 individuals, has sparked significant debate within the community.
More than a thousand locals attended a city council meeting on Tuesday to voice their opposition to the detention center. Following the meeting, Representative Paul Gosar, a Republican from Bullhead City, took action by sending a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. In it, he demanded greater transparency and engagement with the community, noting his own surprise at learning of the facility’s purchase.
DHS finalized the purchase of the 418,400-square-foot warehouse for approximately $70 million, as first reported by the Arizona Republic on January 29.
Gosar emphasized the importance of considering the community’s concerns regarding infrastructure, traffic, emergency services, and public safety. He wrote, “These are not anti-illegal immigration concerns; they are common-sense expectations of transparency, planning, and accountability.”
The DHS’s acquisition of facilities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is part of a broader effort to meet the demands for increased deportations under the Trump administration. This initiative has led to similar purchases across various states.
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During the lengthy city council meeting, residents like Jon Mannella expressed their worries over the facility’s potential impact. Mannella pointed out that federal authorities often justify ICE’s actions by targeting “the worst of the worst,” questioning the wisdom of situating such a facility nearby. “You’re allowing the so-called ‘worst of the worst’ to be housed right there,” he said, noting that other cities have successfully pushed back against similar developments.
However, local officials, including Chris Judd, a council member from Surprise, acknowledge their limited power in opposing federal projects. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution permits federal agencies to bypass local zoning laws, though cooperation with local authorities is common practice.
The planned facility is located in an industrial zone, but its proximity to homes and Dysart High School, with a student body that is 60% Hispanic, has heightened community concerns. Former student Alexandria Moen warned of increased profiling and police presence, stating, “The children are terrified. These children are … our duty to protect.”
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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