ICE Buys Salt Lake City Warehouse for New Detention Center

Local officials condemn the purchase, citing humanitarian and logistical concerns.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:29pm

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a Delaware company have finalized a $145.4 million deal to purchase a Salt Lake City warehouse that ICE plans to use as a new detention facility. Local officials, including the Salt Lake City mayor and Democratic state lawmakers, have condemned the sale, raising concerns about the humanitarian impact and the facility's strain on the city's infrastructure and resources.

Why it matters

This purchase is part of the Trump administration's $45 billion expansion of immigration detention centers across the country. The decision to locate a new detention center in Salt Lake City has sparked outrage from local leaders who view the plan as inhumane and contradictory to the city's values and resources.

The details

ICE says the new facility will undergo community impact studies and due diligence to ensure it doesn't strain local utilities or infrastructure. However, Salt Lake City's mayor and other officials have vowed to use every tool at their disposal to stop the detention center, citing concerns about its location in a diverse community and the city's lack of capacity to support such a facility.

  • On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a Delaware company finalized the $145.4 million deal to purchase the warehouse.
  • In January, rumors surfaced about a different nearby site potentially housing an ICE detention center, prompting community protests.

The players

Erin Mendenhall

The mayor of Salt Lake City, who condemned the sale and said the city will use every tool at its disposal to stop the detention center.

Carlos Trujillo

An immigration attorney based in South Jordan, who said the deal forecasts a bigger ICE presence in the state and that the agency will likely bring in people from surrounding states without large detention centers.

Luz Escamilla

A Democratic state senator from Salt Lake City, who warned of potential impacts to residents on the city's west side.

Angela Romero

A Democratic state representative from Salt Lake City, who joined Sen. Escamilla in warning about the facility's impact on the city's diverse community.

Jenny Wilson

The Democratic mayor of Salt Lake County, who said she is "deeply disturbed" by the sale of the warehouse and signaled that local officials face an uphill battle in trying to stop the project.

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What they’re saying

“Let me be clear. A detention center does not belong in our capital city — full stop. The mass detention of people inside a warehouse is inhumane and is contradictory to the function, values and desires of Salt Lakers, and I will use every tool at the City's disposal to stop it.”

— Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City (Utah News Dispatch)

“Life as we know it on the West Side is about to change dramatically, and many families will now live under constant terror. This is a defining moment for our state, and we are confident that Utah will come together to stand up for what is right.”

— Luz Escamilla, Democratic state senator (Utah News Dispatch)

“This time the obstacles may be greater, but our commitment must be just as strong. We cannot allow aggressive and often unlawful federal enforcement tactics to take root in our community.”

— Jenny Wilson, Mayor of Salt Lake County (Utah News Dispatch)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the detention center project to move forward.

The takeaway

This purchase highlights the ongoing tension between the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts and the concerns of local communities about the humanitarian and logistical impacts of detention centers. The strong opposition from Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County officials signals a potential legal and political battle ahead.