Arizona Congress Members Describe Overcrowding at ICE Facility

Lawmakers say they witnessed 'shocking' conditions during surprise visit to Mesa Gateway Airport detention center.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:50am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A quiet, dimly lit concrete hallway in an ICE detention facility, with warm diagonal sunlight and deep shadows casting a somber, nostalgic mood, conceptually illustrating the troubling conditions reported by lawmakers.The haunting, cinematic atmosphere of an ICE detention center hallway reflects the troubling accounts of overcrowding and poor conditions described by Arizona Congress members.Phoenix Today

Three Democratic members of Congress from Arizona - Greg Stanton, Yassamin Ansari, and Adelita Grijalva - say they were appalled by the conditions they saw during a surprise visit to an ICE detention facility at Mesa Gateway Airport. The lawmakers described severe overcrowding, with rooms intended for 21 people housing 40-50 detainees, and people forced to sleep on concrete floors.

Why it matters

The visit by the Congress members sheds light on ongoing concerns about the treatment of detainees in ICE facilities, which have faced allegations of poor conditions and human rights abuses. The lawmakers' firsthand accounts add to the pressure on the federal government to address issues of overcrowding and inhumane treatment at these facilities.

The details

During their unannounced visit around 9:30 pm on Thursday, the three Congress members said they saw people "lying on the floor next to each other side by side by side on a concrete floor." They also noted that the number of detainees in each room far exceeded the posted maximum capacity, with some rooms holding 40-50 people when they were only meant for 21.

  • The Congress members visited the ICE facility at Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday night, April 10, 2026.

The players

Greg Stanton

A Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona's 9th congressional district.

Yassamin Ansari

A Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona's 3rd congressional district.

Adelita Grijalva

A Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona's 7th congressional district.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What we saw inside this facility was shocking. People lying on the floor next to each other side by side by side on a concrete floor.”

— Greg Stanton, U.S. Representative

“Absolutely shameful that the United States government, funded by our taxpayer dollars, is allowing this to happen. Massive overcrowding. Rooms that have a capacity for 21 people, and it clearly says that on the top of each room, filled with 40 to 50 people, body to body.”

— Yassamin Ansari, U.S. Representative

“There's no way we can treat animals like this. These people deserve better, and we should do better.”

— Adelita Grijalva, U.S. Representative

What’s next

The Congress members say they have written letters to the Department of Homeland Security asking questions about the issues at the ICE detention center, but have not yet received responses.

The takeaway

The firsthand accounts from these Arizona lawmakers shine a spotlight on the ongoing concerns about overcrowding and inhumane conditions at ICE detention facilities across the country. Their visit adds pressure on the federal government to address these systemic problems and uphold basic standards of human dignity for all detainees.