Article Summary –
Surprise, Arizona residents protested a planned ICE detention center, citing transparency and safety concerns. Rep. Gosar demanded answers from DHS Secretary Noem. Despite local opposition, federal purchasing powers limit city control. Proximity to schools raises profiling worries.
WASHINGTON – The controversy surrounding an immigration detention center in a converted warehouse in Surprise, Ariz., is escalating rapidly.
Over a thousand residents attended a Surprise City Council meeting Tuesday, voicing concerns about the planned 1,500-bed facility.
On Wednesday, Rep. Paul Gosar, a Bullhead City Republican whose district includes the site – who has proposed placing Trump on a $500 bill – sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding “transparency” with the community.
It was revealed that DHS purchased the 418,400-square-foot site for $70 million, with the Arizona Republic reporting the sale after it was finalized.
Gosar’s letter asserted, “Concerns about infrastructure, traffic, emergency services, environmental impacts, and public safety need serious attention.”
DHS’s nationwide warehouse acquisitions for ICE align with Trump’s mass deportation objectives.
RELATED: ICE Facility in Surprise Reactions
Jon Mannella, among the many speaking out during the 4-hour public comments, mentioned ICE targets “the worst of the worst.”
He stated, “You’re allowing the ‘worst of the worst’ here. Other cities successfully fight against these facilities.”
However, cities lack power to prevent federal facility purchases or usage.
“We lack the authority our residents desire,” said Chris Judd, the Surprise council member for the site.
Under the Supremacy Clause, federal agencies can bypass local zoning laws.
Federal cooperation with zoning authorities is optional, according to Linus Kafka, zoning officer and law professor.
The Surprise facility lies near homes and Dysart High School, a predominantly Hispanic institution.
Residents expressed concerns over its proximity.
Alexandria Moen, a 2022 Dysart graduate, warned of “increased profiling and police presence.”
“The children are terrified,” Moen told the council. “It’s our duty to protect them.”
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and republishes under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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