Agreement Reached to Pause Surprise Immigration Facility Development Until Completion of Environmental Review
The agreement pauses construction and detention plans until a final environmental assessment is completed, and the facility was originally slated for 1,500 beds.
- On Wednesday, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pause converting a Surprise, Arizona, warehouse into an immigrant detention center pending a federal environmental review.
- Mayes filed the April lawsuit alleging the federal government failed to conduct a mandatory environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act before proceeding with the 418,400-square-foot facility conversion.
- Residents and city officials expressed deep concern regarding the facility's proximity to Dysart High School and residential neighborhoods, citing safety risks from a nearby chemical storage site and potential strain on local resources.
- Federal officials must provide progress updates every 60 days under the court-approved deal, and Mayes retains the right to challenge the review's adequacy if the government attempts to rush the assessment.
- While the Department of Homeland Security is currently offloading several other warehouses purchased under former leadership, the agency continues to pursue the Surprise site despite ongoing community backlash and demands for federal accountability.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Arizona ICE warehouse conversion halted over environmental impact study
Key Points: Federal officials delay converting Surprise warehouse to detention facility Environmental assessment will be conducted to determine suitability of facility Federal officials will conduct “ordinary maintenance” on the warehouse property Federal officials have agreed to delay — but not forgo — their plans to convert a warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, to a detention facility for illegal migrants. In a proposed federal court order, att…
ICE to pause Arizona warehouse for environmental review
The federal government has agreed to hold off on converting a warehouse in Surprise into an immigration detention center until it completes an environmental review, according to federal court records. The process will further delay the facility’s opening by several months, after it was already pushed from September to later in 2026. No physical work to convert the warehouse, such as construction, demolition, or retrofit, is allowed under the agr…
ICE moves ahead with plan to convert Surprise warehouse, but review delays project
WASHINGTON – ICE is moving forward with plans to convert a Surprise warehouse into an immigrant detention facility, unlike seven other sites it bought for $700M and decided to sell. But an environmental review could delay the project for 9 months or more.
Agreement stalls immigrant detention center in Surprise
Attorney General Kris Mayes announces a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Apr 24, 2026 that sought to stop the renovation of a commercial warehouse facility in Surprise, Arizona into an immigration detention center. Mayes reached an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to delay the warehouse conversion until an environmental study is completed. (Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez/Arizona Mirror)The U.S. Department of Homeland …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
