Protest in Surprise, AZ (Screenshot: Indivisible)
Hundreds Protest Proposed ICE Detention Facility in Surprise, Arizona
Indivisible, a dark money group primarily funded by far-left foreign billionaires and bills itself as opposing ‘MAGA extremism,’ organized participation in the protests
By Matthew Holloway, February 5, 2026 12:09 pm
Over 800 people gathered in Surprise, Arizona, on Jan. 31 to oppose plans for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention and processing facility, as part of a broader federal effort to expand immigrant detention capacity, according to protest organizers, news reports, and video evidence.
The demonstrations came after federal authorities revealed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) purchased a more than 418,000-square-foot warehouse in the West Valley for just over $70 million in cash, according to Maricopa County property records and reporting by The Arizona Republic and The California Globe.
At a Jan. 31 Surprise City Council meeting, protesters filled the council chambers and spilled onto the sidewalks, voicing opposition to the proposed facility and urging local leaders to pass a resolution opposing the federal plan, according to later reporting by the Republic.
City officials, however, said they have no regulatory authority over the federal project. Surprise, Mayor Kevin Sartor told residents that the city had not been notified by DHS or ICE about the planned use of the property and that federal law preempts local zoning codes and state laws in such matters.
“We haven’t talked to ICE. We’ve reached out. We tried to get some information, but haven’t heard anything,” Sartor told AZ Family. “It’s all speculation at this point.”
He told the council meeting attendees, “Although the city cannot regulate Homeland Security’s purchase, or the use of the building, the council is genuinely committed to hearing your thoughts and your concerns.”
Some residents attending the council meeting expressed broad opposition to any facility of this nature in the region, while others said the warehouse could be suitable for ICE operations.
The meeting, live-streamed on YouTube, lasted over four hours.
Local community groups, including Northwest Valley Indivisible, a dark money group primarily funded by far-left foreign billionaires and bills itself as opposing “MAGA extremism,” organized participation in the protests and urged council members to formally express community opposition to the federal plans.
Brent Peak, co-chair of Northwest Valley Indivisible, addressed the council and said in a press release. “Last night demonstrated just how deeply this community is opposed to an ICE detention facility in Surprise. When opposition is this broad and this clear, city leadership should be willing to take a position publicly.”
The protest in Surprise comes amidst a nationwide series of concerted demonstrations tied to immigration enforcement actions. Some of these protests have escalated to violence against federal immigration authorities, including the deployment of armed checkpoints in Minnesota and what Fox News analysts described as “like an insurgency,” mirroring those in the Middle East.
In a video statement posted to X, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs publicly criticized federal immigration enforcement actions, citing instances where, in her view, federal agents have denied Arizonans their right to peaceful protest and used excessive force.
Arizona, you deserve to know your rights. That’s why I’m launching https://t.co/8GJME58x3k so every Arizonan has information on how to peacefully protest and what to do if ICE stops you or comes to your workplace.
As governor, I will always put the safety of Arizonans first. pic.twitter.com/EUIVQSUGsY
— Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) February 4, 2026
Hobbs said she shares “the fear and anger of many Arizonans who over the past year have seen far too many instances of federal agents denying us our right to peaceful protest” and described what she called “abuses of power that threaten our constitutional rights” by federal officers, including cases involving protest policing and fatal shootings in Minnesota.
Hobbs urged “full, thorough and transparent investigations” into alleged violations of the law and promoted a state “Know Your Rights” resource for peaceful protest and interactions with ICE agents, while emphasizing that Arizonans “have a right to peacefully protest without fear of harm or retaliation.”
Arizona Senator Analise Ortiz (D-LD24) praised the anti-immigration enforcement protestors in a post to X, writing, “Instead of funding healthcare, housing, and education, Trump spent $70 million of OUR money to purchase a giant ICE detention center in @AZSurprise. People will die here. It will make the community less safe. I’m inspired by the hours of testimony from residents saying HELL NO.”
At this time, neither local officials nor federal agencies have released a timeline for when the facility might begin operations, or whether additional community input will be sought. Federal law generally limits local control over the use of federally owned property for national enforcement purposes, leaving the city’s ability to influence outcomes uncertain.
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Offer to buy then take by iminent domain the shuttered californis state prison half way between blythe, california and center city, california of 10 interstate. Build a short, C130 friendly runway, maybe some secure employee housing with a cafeteria. Secure gate the entryway at the freeway and relentlessly prosecute trespassers. Run criminal illegals through that facility, and let Maxine Waters and the like stand all day long at the gate sweating her ass off while the highway patrol tows cars and busses parked on the freeway right of way.
The facility I called chuckwalla appears to be called irowood now and seems to be active, I heard it was closed by newsom. I worked on powerlines and substations several times in the area, including colorado sub near the prison, I forgot that both facilities used the same freeway access and now the area is packed with alternative generation. But, what I described above is what is needed for ice facilities: isolated, inhospitable places with air access that is difficult for the antifa affiliated nutjobs to congregate and political bottom feeders to harass. And, “city center” is actually desert center. It’s been a long time since I’ve been that way.