SALT LAKE CITY — Mayor Jenny Wilson says she plans to do everything in her power to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from setting up a detention center in her county.
This past week, a group of activists said they believe ICE has chosen a warehouse on the west side of Salt Lake City for a future detention center. The purported location is on the corner of 6800 West and 1000 North, just west of the airport.
WATCH: Is ICE detention center coming to Salt Lake? These people believe so
It has not been confirmed that ICE is planning a center there. FOX 13 News went to the location on Friday and spotted several black SUVs parked outside the building and people inside. Two men told our crew that they were not allowed to speak with anyone who was not there for the "site visit,” but would not provide any further information.
Still, Wilson says she's dedicated to preventing such a facility from being established.
“I have been working non-stop to understand how and why this proposal is moving forward in our community,” Wilson said in a statement Saturday. “At this point, there are still more questions than answers."
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the building in question is owned by The Ritchie Group, a Millcreek-based real estate development firm. Organizers of the protest say it's planned to have a 7,500-bed capacity, according to what they claim is a leaked document from the Department of Homeland Security.
In addition, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall's office said she wrote a letter to Ryan Ritchie, a co-founder of the company, saying there are logistical concerns with the building being used to house a large number of people.
"The area’s utility system has been built specifically for warehouse use, not high occupancy, and there are downstream constraints," her letter read, in part. "We do not have the public utilities infrastructure to serve a large residential population. If you intend to lease the building, please note that all of these concerns would need to be addressed before receiving an occupancy permit."
Wilson also said she has heard from people who are "deeply alarmed," including a variety of business leaders and elected officials who she says come from both sides of the political aisle.
“An opposition coalition is forming quickly, and it reflects widespread unease about ICE’s aggressive and unchecked conduct nationwide, and the instability detention facilities often bring to surrounding communities," Wilson said. “A detention center of this magnitude would bring disruption, strain local resources, and harm the economic and social fabric of our community.”
The county mayor also pointed out that a 7,500-person facility would be triple the number of inmates in the Salt Lake County Jail and would outnumber the total amount of inmates in the Utah Department of Corrections system.
Wilson said she plans to pursue "all available legal and policy avenues, including land-use authority, regulatory review, and coordination with local partners" to oppose a potential ICE center.
“I support meaningful federal immigration reform — including a secure and orderly border, clear enforcement standards, and a practical path to citizenship,” she continued. “Those decisions belong in Congress, not through the siting of massive detention centers that destabilize local communities.”
