Residents at Surprise City Council meeting voice opposition of ICE detention center

PHOENIX — More than 150 people attended a Surprise City Council meeting on Tuesday to voice their concerns over the purchase of a city building for $70 million by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for use by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Mayor Kevin Sartor said the city was unaware and was not notified by DHS, adding that federal projects are not bound by local laws such as zoning.

“Although the city cannot regulate Homeland Security’s purchase or the use of the building, the (city) council is genuinely committed to hearing your thoughts and your concerns,” Sartor said, asking for respect as feelings from both sides are heard.

Brent Peak, who is not a Surprise resident but does work in civic engagement, spoke first, seeking to clarify why he opposes the building’s new planned use.

“We support holding people accountable for their crimes, whether they are citizens or immigrants. We do not want to excuse or allow criminal behavior,” Peak said. “Our concern is that ICE cannot be trusted to exercise their authority responsibly, whether on the streets or in a detention center.

“We do not trust ICE to distinguish between criminals and non-criminals, between a violent offense or a misdemeanor. We do not trust them to reliably uphold the constitutional rights of citizens, much less immigrants, undocumented or not. And we do not trust ICE to respond to peaceful protests like ours with the professionalism and respect that we have consistently experienced from the Surprise Police Department.”

 

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Another speaker vouched for law enforcement and said he would not impede on its actions, calling a “well-funded, a well-trained and a well-supported law enforcement” an “essential part of our republic.”

One attendee cited deportations from certain states that occurred in large numbers without incident because the people and local police worked with ICE.

He was interrupted by others in the room when he suggested the plans for the facility between storage or detention are not known, and Sartor called for decorum. An ICE spokesperson previously told the Phoenix Business Journal that the detention facility will hold about 1,500 beds.

The attendee then said the facility was in a “great location” because it’s out of the way of greater Surprise.

“Is this an appropriate place for it? Is it a place that we want to put a detention center?” the next speaker asked, noting its proximity to nearby schools. “This is not a Democrat or a Republican issue. It is an issue about human dignity. … Dignity does not depend on someone’s legal status, political affiliation or where they were born. It is either a value that we hold consistently, or it is not a value at all.”

Another attendee said the influx of potentially thousands of agents and detainees would put a strain on Surprise’s water and sewage systems. A decrease in property value was brought up by another.

Other speakers pointed out ICE’s absolute immunity and actions that have appeared above the rule of law, such as deplorable conditions at holding centers, as reasons they don’t support the presence.

“There’s plenty of things that you can try,” one speaker said, putting the onus on Surprise City Council. “I imagine if this was a homeless shelter or a mental health center, you would find a way to stop it. … Just pretend that it’s that and put a stop to it.”

One attendee caught the attention of Sartor, who asked to meet with her in the coming days after she pointed to other local jurisdictions across the country that are dealing with similar situations, calling on Surprise to collaborate with them.

“We know you weren’t given a seat at the table when this project was planned, but you have the power to pull up a chair right now. Let’s work to ensure that the safety of our schools and the integrity of our neighborhoods remain your top priority,” she said.

As many residents voiced their feelings, it was predominantly in opposition to the facility and ICE’s presence in the Valley. Only a select few of the attendees supported the facility.

The address of the warehouse is 13290 W. Sweetwater Ave., near Dysart and Thunderbird roads. Dysart Road in that area is the boundary between Surprise and El Mirage.

El Mirage Councilmember Anita Norton-McDaniel on Tuesday called the facility an “elephant in the room” and urged the city to have its own dedicated meeting to address it.

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