Surprise seeking legal advice on ICE detention center

By Jason Stone
Mail | X: @thestonecave

The Surprise City Council is seeking legal advice on Thursday regarding an Immigration and Customs Enforcement warehouse facility in the city, two days after thousands of anti-ICE protesters packed the council chambers and overflow room at City Hall.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security late last month purchased a 400,000-square-foot warehouse near Sweetwater Avenue and Cactus Road for a 1,500-bed detention center for undocumented immigrants.

The council will meet in executive session at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center, to receive legal advice about its options after hundreds chanted and held signs outside while the meeting was happening.

Because it is a federal project, city officials have said its local zoning laws do not matter in this case. Dozens of protesters who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting asked for the city to exhaust all avenues to legally stop the project.

In other news, Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, whose district includes parts of Surprse and the site of the facility, asked for details about the purpose and scope of the facility from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Gosar called for transparency in the matter.

Jason Stone
Senior News Editor | Surprise

jstone@iniusa.com

Meet Jason
Jason Stone joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2019, after a distinguished three decade media career that included stops at the Arizona Republic, iHeart Media/Clear Channel and Beckett Sports Card magazine. He remembers when airports sold newspapers.

Community: He is a big supporter of the Valley's original sports team: The Phoenix Suns.

Education: Northern Arizona University with a BS in broadcast journalism and a minor in sports coaching.

Random Fact: The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln.

Hobbies: Surfing, backgammon and men who aren't afraid to cry.