Surprise leaders speak with ICE about new processing facility

The warehouse near Waddell and Dysart roads will house undocumented immigrants for 3-7 days before they are transported elsewhere.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 11:18am

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Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor spoke out about a recent meeting between city officials, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the purchase of a warehouse that will be used as an ICE processing facility near Waddell and Dysart roads in Surprise, Arizona. The mayor said the facility will house undocumented immigrants for 3-7 days before they are transported to facilities in El Paso, Salt Lake City, or back to their home countries, and that no children will be housed at the facility.

Why it matters

The new ICE processing facility in Surprise has raised concerns among community members about the impact on the local area. The mayor's comments aim to address those concerns and provide more details about how the facility will operate.

The details

According to Mayor Sartor, the warehouse will be transformed into a processing facility that will house undocumented immigrants for 3-7 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. Sartor also stated that the facility will only house single adults, and no children will be housed there.

  • On March 19, city officials, DHS, and ICE met to discuss the new processing facility.
  • Sartor spoke out about the meeting on March 31.

The players

Kevin Sartor

The mayor of Surprise, Arizona.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal agency that oversees immigration enforcement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws.

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What they’re saying

“Our number one goal has been to obtain answers and protect our community. We took your questions directly to Washington, D.C. and shared them with DHS representatives.”

— Kevin Sartor, Mayor of Surprise

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.