Protesters rally against proposed ICE facility following Arizona AG's lawsuit
Protests erupt over proposed ICE facility in Surprise
Hundreds gathered to voice opposition against a proposed ICE detention facility in Surprise, just one day after the state's attorney general filed a federal lawsuit to stop the project. DHS bought the 418,000-square-foot warehouse for more than $70 million last January. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi hears more of what protesters have to say about the "house of horrors.'
SURPRISE, Ariz. - A growing fight over a proposed ICE facility in the West Valley sparked protests, coming just one day after Arizona’s Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a federal lawsuit to try and stop the project.
What we know:
Hundreds of protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the proposed detention center at the warehouse site on April 25. Now, they say they also have reason to celebrate.
"Finally, after months of waiting, we have an elected leader who is doing something about this house of horrors. This monstrosity right here," said Brent Peak of Northwest Valley Indivisible.
Saturday’s rally, which is part of the national "Communities Not Cages" day of action, drew a large crowd of people opposing plans for the facility in their neighborhood.
"I think we can say this with a bit more confidence. This fight is winnable," said Peak.
Why you should care:
The rally comes just one day after Mayes filed a federal lawsuit to block the proposed facility from opening. The lawsuit alleges environmental reviews required under federal law were not completed. Mayes says the industrially-zoned site also sits near a facility storing large amounts of hazardous chemicals, raising serious safety concerns.
Arizona AG files lawsuit to block proposed ICE facility in Surprise
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said on Friday she has filed a lawsuit to block a proposed ICE detention facility from opening in the West Valley.
"For me, it's about human rights violations that are happening and the conditions of these, including the failure to honor due process," said protester April Estrada.
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 10, a spokesperson from ICE said:
"Let’s be honest about what is happening. This isn’t about the environment. It’s about trying to stop President Trump from making America safe. The flood of illegal aliens at the border under Biden was devastating for ranches and riverbeds, but the left did not lift a finger. They’re feigning concern now because they want to obstruct the President from removing dangerous criminals.
Prior to purchasing this site, ICE carefully evaluated the use of existing facilities to help minimize environmental impacts, including potential impacts to protected species, sensitive natural resources, and valued cultural resources."
Dig deeper:
Protesters at Saturday’s rally say even with the lawsuit filed, their fight is far from over.
"Our immigration system needs some reform, and we need to work on things. But this is not the way to reform it and fix it. And I think there's a way that we can do it with compassion and dignity for the people that are going through the process," said Estrada.
The backstory:
Last January, DHS bought the 418,000-square-foot warehouse for more than $70 million near Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road, according to Maricopa County property records.
Surprise city leaders say they were not contacted by DHS about the warehouse purchase. Bipartisan concerns have been raised about infrastructure, traffic, emergency services and public safety.
Proposed DHS warehouse in Surprise draws hundreds following discussions in Washington D.C.
A massive crowd gathered at Tuesday’s Surprise City Council meeting to debate a proposed DHS warehouse, following Mayor Kevin Sartor’s recent discussions in Washington, D.C.
Nationwide, Homeland Security purchased 11 warehouses for just over $1 billion under former Secretary Krist Noem. However, Mullin paused the purchase of any new warehouses and is reviewing the plan to hold tens of thousands of migrants in those facilities.
Retrofitting the Surprise facility is expected to cost $150 million and create nearly 1,400 jobs. Over three years, operations are projected to cost $180 million while generating approximately $16 million in annual tax revenue.
Map of the location of the proposed ICE facility:
The Source: This information was gathered from protesters, an ICE spokesperson, and previous FOX 10 reports.