Arizona Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego are backing new legislation that would require Homeland Security officials to get approval from local authorities before opening ICE detention centers in their areas.
The Respect for Local Communities Act would require public comment and written approval from state and local officials where ICE facilities are planned. Congressional committees would also have to be notified.
The legislation comes as DHS looks to open two new detention sites in Arizona — including at an old jail just outside Tucson, in the town of Marana.
Marana City Councilmember Patrick Cavanaugh says the building was bought by private prison company MTC and local officials were not sure at first how it would be used.
“They own it. And they bought it for 15 million. We were hoping they’d just come in and just convert it back to a minimum security prison, but we found out it’s going to be an ICE detention center,” he said.
An agreement released by ICE last month outlines plans to use the jail to detain some 512 men. It was the first time the agency has publicly acknowledged its intentions at the site.
Cavanaugh was some of a few dozen people who gathered at the gated-off jail this week to oppose those plans.
Last month, the Pima County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution opposing the new site and asked other local officials to do the same. Cavanaugh said he’d like to see the resolution adopted in Marana, but other members of the board see it as largely symbolic. He said local officials are hoping to have some oversight abilities should the facility go through.
Tucson immigration attorney Daniela Ugaz, another participant at the event this week, said ICE detention sites bring more enforcement to a local area.
“And the more facilities there are like this, the more pressure there is for police forces or any kind of law enforcement to work with immigration to force new contracts,” Ugaz said.
A similar bill was introduced in the U.S. House last month by Democratic Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, but hasn’t progressed.
-
Last month, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned down one of the last surviving legal efforts to challenge the transfer of land from the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper. Now, drilling is ramping up. -
A Pima County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit between the opponents of Project Blue – a developing data center outside of Tucson – and Pima County and its Planning and Zoning Commission. -
Arizona has 852 health care professional shortage areas – the sixth most in the nation, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. -
Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council set out to draft the proposal last year — after water needs from the Project Blue data center project generated intense public backlash. -
There are grassy fields, tree-covered mountains, desert scrub and riparian preserves. In fact, it’s one of the top biodiversity hot spots in the world, especially for birders.
