Surprise officials demand details, clarity on proposed ICE facility

SURPRISE, AZ (AZFamily) — City of Surprise officials formally asked Wednesday for information and clarification regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s recent purchase of a facility, fueling rumors that it’ll become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility.

The City Council approved the move in an official vote and a letter will be sent to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons.

Late last month, it came to light that the federal government had bought a more than 400,000 square-foot warehouse near Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road for $70 million in cash.

The facility is about 300 yards from a neighborhood and roughly a mile away from Dysart High School.

Federal silence prompts local action

The feds have been tight-lipped about their plans for the facility, not answering questions from Arizona’s Family, other community members or officials.

In Mayor Kevin Sartor’s letter, he wants to know DHS’s purpose for the facility, if it will be expanded or modified, what impact the facility will have and a timeline for construction and opening.

While Sartor acknowledged the feds’ right to enforce immigration, he said the city needs to know what’s going on so zoning regulations are met and city services are funded for the area.

“The City must be able to plan responsibly, protect public safety, and provide accurate information to residents. Proceeding without meaningful coordination places undue strain on local resources and undermines public trust,” the letter said. “When federal actions have direct and substantial impacts on local communities, infrastructure, and public services, advance communication and intergovernmental coordination are not merely beneficial – they are essential.”

City officials also asked for an in-person meeting with Noem and Lyons or senior staff, saying they’ll be in Washington, D.C. next month.

Bipartisan concerns emerge

Earlier this week, Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego sent letters to the federal government, demanding answers about the plans for the ICE facility.

Reps. Greg Stanton, Yassamin Ansari and Adelita Grijalva, all Democrats, sent a similar letter last week, wanting information.

The uproar over the ICE facility got the attention of Republican Rep. Paul Gosar, a fierce opponent of illegal immigration who is usually lock-step with the president. He voiced concerns about traffic and infrastructure problems in a letter dated Feb. 4.

It’s the same day hundreds of people protested the facility outside the Surprise City Council chambers.

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