Federal Judge Blocks ICE Detention Facility in Gilroy

A federal judge from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on September 11, 2026, blocking the federal government from constructing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility near Gilroy, California. The ruling follows a June lawsuit filed by Rob Bonta, the California Attorney General, and the Government of Santa Clara County.

The proposed 24-acre site east of the Gilroy Premium Outlets was designed to hold up to 120 people per day. The court found that ICE failed to study potential environmental pollution at the site, specifically citing concerns over hazardous materials and an inadequate septic system. Bonta accused the Trump administration of attempting to rush the project in secret while ignoring environmental safeguards and public scrutiny.

While the injunction temporarily pauses all work and prevents the federal government from breaking ground, it is not a final resolution. The parties are scheduled to return to court by September 30 to negotiate the scope of the pause, with a final decision on whether the project will be permanently shut down expected in October.