OGDEN, Utah — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Ogden is raising concerns. People showed up to make their voices heard outside the building in an industrial lot Friday afternoon.
People, like West Haven resident David Belnap, held signs and pointed to the Ogden building at 2487 South and 1620 West, listed as an ICE field office location for enforcement and removal operations on the Department of Homeland Security's website.
"These people, a lot of these people are the backbone of this country,” said Belnap. “I worked in construction for 20 years and today, a lot of construction wouldn’t get done without them.”
Ogden City confirmed that and said the building was approved for a conditional use permit in 2000.
Belnap said he believes the building is violating city code, and wants to see their neighbors treated better.
According to the conditional use permit, ICE can bring people to the facility from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and people cannot be held overnight.
FOX 13 News reached out to Ogden City, and they shared that they have not found any violations since people are taken to local jails overnight.
The city also said that legally, local zoning ordinances can't interfere with federal functions.
Belnap said he just wants to do what he can for people around him.
“Six of my grandchildren are of color; this is not the world I thought I was making for them. So, I just feel like something has to [be] done before I’m gone. I need to [contribute somehow] so my grandkids don’t look at me and say, ‘why didn’t you do anything?’”
