New federal court filings reveal that efforts to build an ICE detention center in Surprise are progressing slowly, and the Department of Homeland Security has indicated there is no rush to open the facility.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a suit against DHS in April, arguing DHS fast-tracked the project and violated a host federal laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. Mayes, local leaders and residents had expressed concern over how the new center would affect the surrounding community, including the strain it could put on local infrastructure and water resources.
Mayes agreed to pause the litigation in July after DHS said it would conduct required environmental reviews before housing any person at the Surprise facility, a massive warehouse that the department planned to retrofit to house people detained by ICE as part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort.
Attorneys for DHS filed their first update with court on Friday, indicating little progress toward completing that review.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has retained a contractor to assist with the environmental review and has begun working with the contractor, including through an introductory meeting,” according to the filing, which was first reported by Arizona’s Law. “The environmental review remains ongoing. Defendants will continue to provide status reports every sixty days as required by the Court’s Order.”
The filing does not include who the department hired to conduct the review.
However, information provided by the city of Surprise indicates DHS contracted GardaWorld, the defense and security contractor it also hired to operate the Surprise facility.
“City staff met with a GardaWorld representative who is seeking information for the DHS National Environmental Policy Act environmental assessment,” according to an update posted to the city’s website.
GardaWorld appears to have little in the way of experience with NEPA or federal environmental reviews.
According to federal government procurement records, GardaWorld has been awarded a total of 70 federal contracts since 2010 valued at nearly $2.3 billion. The vast majority of those contracts were for security-related services. It also won contracts related to technical training, food service, nursing and transportation.
A GardaWorld representative declined to comment on the company’s relevant experience, referring all questions to DHS.
And a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson declined to respond directly to questions about GardaWorld’s qualifications to conduct the environmental review, instead providing a statement about the department’s efforts to remove people who are in the U.S. without legal authorization.
However, the spokesperson did indicate the department is in no rush to complete the Surprise facility or a host of other new detention centers it began developing after Trump returned to office.
“DHS is moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners,” according to a DHS statement.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is reviewing DHS’ latest filing, spokesman Richie Taylor said.
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