Reporting from the Washington Post this month uses internal government documents to show the Trump administration plans to double ICE detention capacity by the end of this year.
According to the Post, three Arizona facilities will either be newly designated or expanded under the plans. Among them is Maricopa County Jail — it’s the only Arizona site on the list that’s not privately-owned.
Noah Schramm, policy strategist with the ACLU of Arizona, says it’s still not clear how, or if, the jail would be used under the new plan.
“And of course, everyone remembers the history with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the immigration raids of that era, and there’s been a court-appointed monitor since,” he said. “The bottom line is we’re concerned about this expansion of collaboration at a time when the federal government is cracking down on immigration in ways that are abusive and in some cases unconstitutional.”
Earlier this week, a spokesperson with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office told 12 News the office had not been involved in discussions or agreements with ICE about the facility.
The Sheriff’s Office was stripped of its agreement with ICE years ago amid a class action lawsuit that found deputies were making unlawful stops and violating the constitutional rights of Latinos — an order then-Sheriff Arpaio and others within the department were later held in contempt of court for violating.
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The Alhambra Elementary School District is considering closing a campus that serves refugee families from across the globe. -
In a press release this week, city officials say they’re closely monitoring the situation of other cities — where the Trump administration has sent National Guard troops without requests from local or state governments. -
Indigenous peoples across the U.S. have been swept up in the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants and an Arizona tribe is taking steps to safeguard its membership. -
Democratic members of Congress could be back in court this month after they say the Trump administration is again denying them immediate access to immigration detention facilities. -
Republican lawmakers hosting a pro-ICE press conference were driven indoors as they were met with protesters at the state Capitol on Monday morning.
