Salt Lake City, county sue feds over proposed ICE facility on west side

SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County filed a joint lawsuit against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Department of Homeland Security over a proposed detention facility within a warehouse district in Utah’s capital city.

The city and county filed the U.S. District Court of Utah on Monday, seeking to halt what they say is a “unlawful decision” to convert a warehouse into an immigration detention facility in Salt Lake City without following federal law.

“This kind of facility has no place in Salt Lake City, not only due to its inhumane nature but also because of our limited water supply, the increased strain on public utilities systems, and the potentially drastic public health and safety impacts it would have on our residents,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, in a statement. “Salt Lakers are legally entitled to public review and reasoned decision making on major actions by the federal government, and it is my responsibility as mayor to defend these rights.”

ICE finalized a $145.44 million deal to acquire an 833,000-square-foot warehouse within Salt Lake City’s Northwest Quadrant in March, which it said would house 7,500 to 10,000 detainees.

The plan sparked an uproar at the time, which faded somewhat when the Department of Homeland Security ordered a pause for review in April. Gov. Spencer Cox supported the facility, while Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson each opposed it.

City and county officials argue that the facility would have environmental, economic, public health and safety impacts for the region, which they say federal officials have yet to address.

The federal agencies have 20 days to respond to the complaint filed in court.

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This story will be updated.

Read more: DHS paid $145M for Salt Lake ICE facility — but may own only half the land