SURPRISE, AZ — Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor spoke out today about the March 19 meeting between city officials, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In that meeting, officials discussed the recent purchase of a warehouse that will be used for an ICE processing facility near Waddell and Dysart roads.
“Our number one goal has been to obtain answers and protect our community,” Sartor said. “We took your questions directly to Washington, D.C. and shared them with DHS representatives.”
Sartor said the warehouse will be transformed into a processing facility that will house undocumented immigrants for three to seven days.
Those immigrants will not be released within the Surprise community but will instead be taken to facilities in either El Paso or Salt Lake City or back to their home countries.
Operations will begin with 250 people per week, with a cap of occupied beds at 542, according to Sartor.
The facility will house single adults.
It will have a secure perimeter, 24/7 surveillance and controlled access.
Sartor said the facility will not trigger local immigration enforcement activities in places such as churches, schools or senior centers.
Sartor acknowledged that not everyone will be happy with the outcome of the meeting. “While we cannot stop a federal agency from purchasing land, we can work to mitigate their impact to Surprise.”
The facility is expected to open by the end of the fiscal year, which is around September.
Watch the complete news conference by Sartor in the video player below.
