The city of Surprise was apparently just as shocked about Department of Homeland Security plans to build an immigrant-detention center in Surprise as much of the public.
City officials became aware of the plans after media reports began surfacing about it on Thursday. The city released a statement Friday afternoon that said neither the Department of Homeland Security nor any other federal agency had alerted it about the plans for a 1,500-bed facility off of Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road.
“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 city wrote in the statement.
