Democratic state lawmakers say Surprise ICE facility should be stopped ‘at all costs’

PHOENIX — Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers sent a letter to the Surprise City Council urging it to oppose a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

Thirty-eight Democrats from the Arizona Legislature said they were “gravely concerned” about ICE’s plans to open a detainee processing center within the next three to six months.

“Deaths in ICE custody have risen significantly under the Trump administration,” the Democrats wrote in the letter.

As of April 7, ICE has reported that 33 people died in its custody or detention facilities in 2025. In one February case, a Haitian man died in a metro Phoenix hospital after a toothache progressed into sepsis, according to his family.

State Democrats say the deaths stem from overcrowding, inadequate medical care, insufficiently trained staff and rising detention numbers.

They also warn about risks to both detainees and nearby residents, arguing that the ICE facility could strain water and sanitation systems, overburden local infrastructure and create public health concerns.

“We believe there is no compromise that should be made with DHS to open this facility,” the Democrats said. “The only acceptable option is to stop the facility from opening at all costs.”

Democratic state lawmakers say Surprise ICE facility should be stopped ‘at all costs’ by sosullivan

Why is ICE building a detention center in Surprise?

ICE’s plan to covert the 418,000-square-foot warehouse into a federal facility is part of a wider Trump administration initiative to increase detention capacity.

The address of the proposed Surprise ICE facility is 13290 W. Sweetwater Ave., near Dysart and Thunderbird roads. Department of Homeland Security officials told city leaders during a March 19 meeting the facility would house a maximum of 542 detainees.

DHS reportedly paid $70 million in cash for the warehouse on Jan. 23.

Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor has said that the DHS agreed to pay the city $300,000 annually for use of the facility.

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