ICE warehouse purchase fuels immigration enforcement concerns
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The Department of Homeland Security purchased a Surprise warehouse in late January to convert into an immigration processing center, furthering speculation that the federal government plans to ramp up enforcement in the Valley.
Why it matters: Phoenix has braced for an escalation in federal immigration activity since an early January story in the Bulwark reported that DHS planned to focus on the city.
State of play: DHS purchased the 418,000-square-foot warehouse near Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road for just over $70 million cash on Jan. 23, according to Maricopa County property records.
- ICE has since confirmed to multiple media outlets that it plans to open a 1,500-bed detention facility in the warehouse, which is the size of seven football fields.
- The agency did not respond to Axios' request for additional information.
The big picture: DHS on Jan. 30 confirmed on X that it was buying large buildings across the country to convert into "structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards."
- "It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space," the post continued, noting that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act included funding for new facilities.
The latest: Protesters packed into Surprise City Hall Tuesday night to discuss the warehouse purchase. The vast majority spoke in opposition.
- Northwest Valley Indivisible co-chair Brent Peak told councilmembers that allowing the ICE facility to move forward "risks introducing chaos and cruelty into a community that has worked hard to maintain peace and safety for its residents."
- He said his organization is "firmly committed to peaceful, nonviolent, weapons-free protest," and that he doesn't trust ICE to "respond to peaceful protests like ours."
Reality check: The city council had no control over the warehouse purchase and has no say in how it's used.
- The warehouse was purchased from a private company: RG Surprise AZ LLC, an entity connected to international real estate firm Rockefeller Group, per Arizona Corporation Commission filings.
- Federal projects are not subject to local zoning or other regulations, the city of Surprise confirmed in a statement.
What they're saying: "The city was not aware that there were efforts underway to purchase the building, was not notified of the transaction by any of the parties involved and has not been contacted by DHS or any federal agency about the intended use of the building," the Jan. 30 statement said.
The bottom line: "It's looking like it's out of our hands," Councilmember Chris Judd, who represents the district where the warehouse is located, told The Arizona Republic.
What we're watching: Protests unfolded Valleywide following a federal operation at Zipps Sports Grill locations last Monday and amplified after news of the warehouse purchase broke last Thursday.