$313M ICE detention facility planned for Arizona warehouse divides community

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Lawmakers and community members are demanding answers about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility set to be built in Surprise. Both sides are weighing in.

Plans for an ICE facility in Surprise are moving forward. At the same time, the battle to stop it is heating up. A Canadian company was awarded the contract this week to turn an existing warehouse into a holding facility, but it comes with all kinds of concerns.

The backstory:

The building at Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road is 400,000 square feet and was originally built for light industrial use. However, it is now set to become a regional intake facility for ICE—or as protesters call it, a “human warehouse.”

A small group of concerned citizens stands in front of the massive warehouse, which is set to become one of the largest ICE facilities in the nation, capable of holding 1,500 migrants. They are worried about everything from safety inside the building to security outside.

GardaWorld Federal, the Canadian company awarded the $313 million contract, is the same company running a controversial ICE facility in Florida nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The company claims to have decades of experience serving migrants from New Mexico to New York, including experienced security staff along with legal and medical professionals.

What they’re saying:

Not every Surprise resident is against the ICE operation. Several spoke out at a recent city council meeting.

“I support our law enforcement. They’re willing to take up that armor as well,” said one supporter. Another resident added, “Law enforcement agents are removing criminals from our neighborhood. It is much safer for me, my family, and my neighbors if those criminals are detained securely as they await deportation.”

The other side:

However, others see the project differently. 

“For students, this is not a political matter. It is a safety concern and fear,” said Cali Overs, student body vice president at Dysart High School. “This is something they will have to coexist with in their everyday lives and affect their learning.”

Community leader Lisa Everett also shared her opposition. “I am a Christian and a mother, just a good person before I’m a Republican, and I’m sorry I have to say we don’t want this in Surprise.”

Beyond safety and security concerns, the group has a problem with the way the project is being handled, alleging the Trump administration is bypassing local governments and community input. 

What’s next:

The facility could be renovated and ready to open by the end of the year.