Overview
- Surprise City Council met in a closed-door session Tuesday to consult its attorney about DHS’s late-January purchase of a 418,000-square-foot warehouse for ICE use, then opened a packed public comment period.
- Residents and activists pressed for a formal resolution against the facility, saying federal promises on reimbursements and limits are not binding, and Dysart High School students urged leaders to prioritize safety.
- A Rinchem storage site across from the warehouse holds chlorine, hydrofluoric acid, and fluorine at levels that trigger federal risk plans, according to ADEQ and EPA filings that were updated weeks before DHS bought the property.
- Speakers warned that a leak at the chemical site could force a neighborhood evacuation, and they questioned emergency plans for detainees who cannot self-evacuate as well as coordination among DHS, contractor GardaWorld, and local responders.
- City officials said DHS described a fall opening with a small footprint for short-term processing, and a council member sought a written, enforceable agreement, as DHS also reviews warehouse purchases made under former leadership.