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Surprise Today
By the People, for the People
DHS Awards $313M Contract to Operate Surprise ICE Facility
Controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' firm tapped to run new Arizona detention center
Mar. 13, 2026 at 12:03pm
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $313 million contract to GardaWorld Federal Services LLC, a private security firm with ties to Florida's controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility, to renovate and operate a 1,500-bed ICE processing and detention center in Surprise, Arizona.
Why it matters
The decision to award this high-profile contract to a company with a history of questionable practices at its Florida facility has raised concerns among immigrant advocates about the potential for human rights abuses and substandard conditions at the new Arizona detention center.
The details
The 418,400-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona will be renovated and transformed into a processing and detention facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). GardaWorld Federal Services, a subsidiary of the Canadian security firm GardaWorld, was awarded the $313.4 million contract to oversee the facility's operations.
- The Department of Homeland Security awarded the contract on March 13, 2026.
The players
GardaWorld Federal Services LLC
A private security firm and subsidiary of the Canadian company GardaWorld, which has faced controversy over its management of the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention facility in Florida.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The federal agency that awarded the $313 million contract to GardaWorld Federal Services to operate the new ICE detention center in Surprise, Arizona.
What they’re saying
“We have serious concerns about GardaWorld's track record and the potential for human rights abuses at this new facility.”
— Alejandra Gomez, Co-Executive Director, Arizona-based immigrant advocacy group
What’s next
The Surprise facility is expected to begin operations in early 2027 after the renovation is completed.
The takeaway
The decision to award this high-profile contract to a company with a history of controversy raises questions about the federal government's commitment to humane treatment and oversight of immigrant detention facilities.
