Arizona Attorney General Sues to Block ICE Detention Facility

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a federal lawsuit on April 25, 2026, to block the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from converting a 418,000-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. The proposed facility, purchased for $70 million with an additional $300 million earmarked for retrofitting, is slated to hold between 500 and 1,500 detainees by fall 2026.

Mayes alleges that the federal government violated the Immigration and Nationality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to conduct required environmental reviews. A central point of the suit is the facility's proximity to Rinchem, a hazardous chemical storage site. Mayes argues the location is unsuitable for human habitation, claiming a chemical spill or fire would create a mass casualty event because detainees would be locked inside and unable to evacuate safely. She also contends the facility would overwhelm local sewage and wastewater systems.

In response, DHS and ICE spokespeople defended the site selection, asserting that the agency performed due diligence to minimize environmental impacts. Federal officials characterized the lawsuit as a political attempt to obstruct President Trump from making America safe and removing dangerous criminals. This legal challenge follows similar opposition to detention expansions in Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland, the latter of which was recently blocked by a federal judge.