DHS Contractor Hiring Staff For Planned ICE Detention Facility In Surprise, AZ

A private contractor hired to renovate and operate a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and processing facility in Surprise, Arizona, has begun recruiting workers for the site amid an ongoing legal fight over the project.

GardaWorld Federal Services, a private security firm, has posted more than a dozen full-time job openings tied to the planned facility near Dysart Road and Sweetwater Avenue, according to reporting from The Arizona Republic. The positions include security and detention services, medical staff, building maintenance, and other support roles.

The posted jobs range across several pay levels. Current listings for GardaWorld Federal Services jobs in Surprise include detention officers listed at $28.81 to $33.90 per hour, unarmed site security guards at $19.77 to $24.86 per hour, armed site security guards at $28 per hour, facility maintenance technicians at $28.38 per hour, registered nurses at $46 to $51.09 per hour, nurse practitioners at $72.25 per hour, and several salaried health services positions.

Source: indeed.com

The Arizona Republic reported that the company described the hiring effort as “building a pipeline” for roles expected to begin later in 2026. The report also said the Department of Homeland Security initially planned to open the facility by September, but later told Surprise leaders that timeline was unlikely.

The planned facility is located in a 418,000-square-foot warehouse that the Department of Homeland Security and ICE purchased earlier this year. As previously reported by California Globe in January, DHS purchased the warehouse for more than $70 million, according to Maricopa County property records.

Federal contracting records show DHS awarded GardaWorld Federal Services a $313.4 million current award for work on the Surprise facility, with a potential award amount of $704.1 million. In a March letter to DHS and ICE, Arizona Democratic Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ4), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ3), and Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ7) said the contract was awarded to renovate an ICE-owned structure in Surprise into “a processing and detention facility” and provide operational support services.

Source: USASpending.gov

Source: USASpending.gov

Source: USASpending.gov

The planned facility has drawn scrutiny from local officials, state officials, and residents since the federal purchase became public.

Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor said after a March meeting with DHS and ICE officials that the facility would hold single adults only, with a maximum capacity of 542 beds, according to AZPM. Sartor said federal officials also told city leaders that the facility would not “trigger local immigration enforcement activities” and that ICE would avoid operations in sensitive areas such as schools, churches, and senior centers.

That figure marked a reduction from earlier federal planning documents that described a facility with up to 1,500 beds. AZPM reported that Sartor said city officials were seeking a memorandum of understanding with DHS to formalize conditions discussed during the March meeting.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed suit in April against DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, ICE, and DHS to block the proposed facility. In an April 24 announcement, Mayes’ office alleged that DHS and ICE had not conducted or publicized the environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act before proceeding with the project.

The lawsuit also alleges that the facility violates the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires the federal government to arrange for “appropriate” places for immigration detention. Mayes’ office said the warehouse was built as an industrial distribution facility and is located in an industrial zone across the street from a facility storing hazardous chemicals.

Between late April and mid-May, DHS issued a stop-work order on GardaWorld’s contract, Arizona sued to block the facility, and the order halting work was later rescinded, according to The Arizona Republic. GardaWorld did not return a request for comment to the Republic, and DHS did not provide the outlet with an explanation for why the stop-work order was issued or rescinded.

The Surprise project is part of a broader federal effort to expand immigration detention capacity through warehouse-style facilities. Reuters reported in February that ICE planned to spend $38.3 billion by the end of 2026 on detention expansion, including regional processing centers and larger detention facilities.

The broader warehouse strategy has faced lawsuits and local opposition in multiple states. The Associated Press reported this week that federal officials are moving to offload some warehouses purchased for immigrant detention, while work appears to continue on other sites.

The Surprise facility has not opened. GardaWorld’s active job postings indicate that staffing preparations are continuing while litigation and federal planning questions remain unresolved.