Washington, D.C
Proposed DHS warehouse in Surprise draws hundreds following discussions in Washington D.C.
SURPRISE, Ariz. – It was a packed house in and outside of Surprise City Council meeting Tuesday as people opposed to and in favor of the DHS warehouse coming to the city gathered to hear discussion on Mayor Kevin Sartor’s meeting with the Department of Homeland Security last week.
The backstory:
On March 30, Sartor said that progress is being made between city leaders and DHS after their meeting in Washington D.C. over the proposed warehouse near Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road. The facility would be a short term processing site for single adults only.
In January 2026, DHS bought the 418,000-square-foot warehouse for more than $70 million, according to Maricopa County property records. Retrofitting the 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.
“My message today is one of progress but not finality,” Sartor said.
What we know:
DHS said the warehouse will likely open this fall. They added that there would be minimal footprint and no major increase in activity.
There will be a Community Relations Board with representation from Surprise to provide oversight and coordination. Once the facility is opened, that board will begin meeting.
What they’re saying:
Dysart High School is less than 1 mile from the proposed facility. Student council members Cali Overs and Elijah Perez Cardona are calling on leaders to take a stand.
“If we’re required to receive an education, the federal government should be required to make sure that we feel safe,” said Overs, Dysart High School student body vice president.
“There’s numerous citizens and students, families that have all publicly stated they don’t want this to happen,” student council member Cardona said.
The other side:
Not everyone was opposed to the warehouse— a group of counter-protesters also showed up in support.
“It would be great,” said counter-protester Nathan Remillard. “This would protect people in the community, and it would, prosper truth and law.”
Surprise neighbor Lynne Gehling brought a new concern to Tuesday’s meeting, saying the Rinchem chemical storage facility next door does not have a risk management plan updated to account for the hundreds of people who could be held at the facility.
“There’s a huge amount of acids and chemicals there at that facility,” Gehling said. “I hope the City Council listens to us and validates our concerns and says, ‘What is the plan here?’ Make sure people are safe if they’re incarcerated.”
Dig deeper:
Brent Peak, an organizer with Northwest Valley Indivisible, was disappointed there was no official vote on the city’s stance on the warehouse. But with multiple council members expressing concerns over the past few weeks, he has hope.
“We had hoped that perhaps a resolution from the council might come out of this,” said Peak. “It’s a little bit too late for that. But we hope to hear that, one is recommended.”
What’s next:
DHS recently said it will be reviewing previous warehouse purchases made under former Director Kristi Noem. A spokesperson with the city of Surprise told FOX 10 they did not have any information to share on that subject.
The Source: This information was gathered from attendees at the Surprise City Council meeting on April 7 and previous FOX 10 reports.
Content on this page may include affiliate links. If you click and sign up/place a wager, we may receive compensation at no cost to you.
Should lawmakers in the nation’s capital decide to push forward with legalizing real money online casinos, it could cause a ripple effect in the DMV.
The wave of potentially legalizing online casinos has reached our nation’s capital, as lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are considering a Council Bill to authorize regulated iGaming. While time will tell if the proposal makes any headway, should it cross the finish line, or even come close, it could play a role in neighboring states to follow suit – particularly Maryland and Virginia.
Recapping bill proposal to legalize D.C. online casinos
As proposed by Councilmember Wendell Felder, Council Bill 260656 – also known as the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026″ – aims to legalize online casinos as a “practical” way to strengthen protections for consumers, who, according to Felder, are already gambling with unregulated platforms.
By authorizing real money online casino apps in the District, officials would be able to offer a safer avenue for online gambling while also keeping revenue from flowing outside of the area.
According to Felder, initial annual tax revenue generated by new online casinos could reach tens of millions of dollars, which the District could use to support behavioral health services, responsible gaming programs and broader community investments.
A public hearing for the proposal is scheduled for May 4. But if the bill gains traction, it could have a more widespread impact beyond Washington, D.C.
Virginia, Maryland could feel pressure to regulate iGaming
Should legislators continue to push Council Bill 260656 forward, neighboring states could feel the pressure to revamp efforts to legalize casino games online. That is especially true for Maryland and Virginia, which see a number of residents commute to D.C. on a daily basis.
Both jurisdictions are no strangers to considering online casino legalization. Earlier this year, Virginia saw a bill fall short of passage, though it’s likely lawmakers will resume conversations in 2027.
Meanwhile, in Maryland, there was much support from casino operators in the state to regulate online casinos, though no bills made it out of committee.
Should Washington, D.C., succeed in legalizing online casino gaming, or even games like online keno for real money, it would assuredly create more urgency for Virginia and Maryland to do the same. Like D.C., both states offer legal online sports betting, and all three jurisdictions have big-name brands such as BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel. Then, residents could take advantage of the latest DraftKings Casino promo code.
In the nation’s capital, the iGaming proposal would give licensed sportsbooks an expedited review and approval for an online casino license. That means if D.C. approves Council Bill 260656, those online sportsbooks would be cleared to apply for and receive online casino licenses, creating an advantage for the District over its two neighbors.
WASHINGTON – The FBI Washington Field Office is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of individuals involved in a fight at a Chipotle restaurant in the Navy Yard neighborhood.
The backstory:
The incident happened at 8:41 p.m. on May 16 at the Chipotle located at 1255 First Street SE.
According to officials, a group of individuals entered the restaurant and immediately became involved in a physical altercation with another group already inside. Both groups fled the scene before police arrived.
Surveillance footage captured images of four people believed to be involved in the fight. Authorities are now asking the public to help identify those individuals.
Photo courtesy of FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In addition to the FBI reward, the Metropolitan Police Department said it’s also offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible.
Officials say no injuries were reported, and no victim has come forward to police regarding the incident.
What you can do:
The FBI and MPD are continuing to investigate and encourage anyone with information to contact authorities or submit anonymous tips through official channels.
The Source: Information from the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department.
-
Seattle, WA3 minutes agoSeattle leaders’ proposed one-year ban on data centers met with strong support
-
San Diego, CA9 minutes agoTeacher’s assistant at San Diego mosque recalls students’ bravery as gunmen banged on doors
-
Milwaukee, WI15 minutes agoPortion of South 35th Street to close, impacting northbound travel
-
Atlanta, GA21 minutes agoFlash flood warning issued as heavy rain falls across Atlanta
-
Minneapolis, MN27 minutes agoMinneapolis police say motor vehicle thefts up 24% compared to this time last year
-
Indianapolis, IN33 minutes agoIndianapolis VA Medical Center receives federal funding for facility upgrades
-
Pittsburg, PA39 minutes agoAs Pittsburgh Public Schools closure vote nears, board members aim for more transparency
-
Augusta, GA45 minutes agoNew Augusta commissioner and ‘Yes’ to tax questions were big winners in the primary
