SALT LAKE CITY — When rumors of an ICE facility in Salt Lake City first surfaced in January, they faced immediate backlash, with protests quickly forming outside the alleged location.
The original location is about 10 minutes down the road from the warehouse that ICE confirmed to have purchased this week for $145 million, sparking mixed emotions from those on both sides of the immigration issue.
FOX 13 News’ social media pages were flooded with comments, and the reactions were nearly split down the middle. When Sarah Buck of Salt Lake Indivisible first heard the news, she felt defeated.
“I felt like I had been dubbed. We worked hard to stop this a few months ago. We were given assurances from the folks involved at the time and some folks across the state, to be honest, that it wasn’t going to happen. I will say, in my bones, I knew this wasn’t over,” Buck said Friday.
As president of the Utah Eagle Forum, Gayle Ruzicka felt differently.
“So I think that’s the important thing. That we abide by the law. I’m not worried about the facility. They have to have facilities… because we’re talking about not only people that have come here illegally, but most of the time it’s people who have broken the law after they got here. Some very violent, and there has to be ICE facilities," Ruzicka said.
Department of Homeland Security purchases SLC warehouse for $145 million:
However, Buck claims ICE is not restricting their actions to criminals.
“People are being taken from the courtrooms," she said, "so this administration that said they’re going after the worst are going after people who are trying to do this legally."
In a statement shared with FOX 13 News, ICE explained its recent Utah purchase and the intent of the detention facility it will build
"It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space. Sites will undergo community impact studies and a rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase," the agency said.
Ruzicka claimed there have been complaints about people who have been arrested on immigration offenses being placed in what she called regular prisons.
“Maybe the best thing is having these people, as they pick them up, be local until they’ve had their day in court, and the decision is made as to where they go from there," she said, "because right now they’re picking them up and sending them away to a facility."
While there is no timeline or known next steps for the ICE facility, Buck promised it is something she and other advocates will keep fighting against.
“I think that’s first and foremost, recognizing that it is unpopular across the board," said Buck. "Secondly, recognizing that we have four members of Congress all up for reelection in November. Those people hold power, those people can make this more easy or difficult."
