HURRICANE, Utah — Purgatory Correctional Facility in Washington County, Utah, typically sees two to four daily bookings tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a single 24-hour span, that number jumped to 20.
The ICE bookings included arrests in St. George, Washington City, Hurricane and Ivins.
Jonathan Zarazua said he witnessed an ICE operation on Wednesday morning at a construction worksite in Washington City.
"We were just pouring some concrete and some of the guys told me that they think that they spot immigration. Yeah, we were able to see that it was immigration," Zarazua said.
"They were getting some stuff from the back and then I saw their faces covered. That's pretty much what they do, cover their faces all the time," Zarazua said. "They're taking good people, you know. They're taking working people that are there for their families and stuff."
The operation has not been independently confirmed. A visit to the townhome construction site on Thursday found little to no construction activity, with only one plumber and a window cleaner present. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.
Sgt. Lucas Alfred, a spokesperson for the Washington County Sheriff's Office, could not confirm specific ICE activities in the area but said there has been an increase in ICE arrests in the last two weeks in the county.
Alfred said the cooperation agreement between the sheriff's office and ICE remains in place. Under the agreement, ICE has office space and bed space inside Purgatory Correctional Facility, and trained deputies are authorized to assist ICE inside the jail. Alfred said ICE brings arrestees to the facility for temporary housing before transport to ICE facilities, and those booked on immigration holds are typically not held there long.
The agreement was entered into last year by then-Sheriff Nate Brocksby. Late last month, Brocksby resigned following what the Washington County Attorney described as an allegation that he used law enforcement records for personal purposes and engaged in stalking.
The St. George Chamber of Commerce said that, to its knowledge, ICE operations have taken place at construction sites around St. George, but that contractors who rely on workers have not raised concerns.
Construction is a significant part of the local economy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 13.6% of all local jobs in the southern Utah city are tied to construction — the highest percentage of any metro area in the nation with fewer than 350,000 people.
Zarazua, a U.S. citizen, said this was the first time he witnessed an alleged ICE operation. He said the climate in the Latino community in southwest Utah has shifted over the last year.
"People are not getting out of their houses because they're scared," Zarazua said.
"I have a family that waits for me and I know they have a family that waits for them too, especially their kids," Zarazua said.
