For Third Consecutive Meeting, Surprise Residents Pack City Council Chambers; Only 5 Supporters Have Appeared Across All Three Meetings
SURPRISE, AZ — For the third consecutive city council meeting, Surprise residents turned out Tuesday night to demand action on the proposed ICE detention facility at 13290 W. Sweetwater Avenue — hundreds showing up inside and outside the council chambers — and for the first time, Mayor Kevin Sartor broke his silence.
“To have this detention facility here is frustrating for me,” Mayor Sartor said at the end of the meeting, which ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The mayor also acknowledged that the council has reached out to officials at various levels of state and federal government to consult on the matter — a sign that sustained public pressure is moving city leadership to engage beyond its own chambers.
The remarks came after another wave of public comment overwhelmingly opposing the $70 million, 418,000-square-foot federal warehouse being retrofitted as a 1,500-bed immigration detention center. At least 50 residents had signed up to speak before the meeting began.
Across all three city council meetings since the facility was announced, well over 100 Surprise residents have addressed the council in opposition. Only five have spoken in favor — and Tuesday night’s three supporters were all repeat speakers.
Despite this sustained and lopsided show of opposition, the ICE facility has yet to appear on the council’s official agenda, leaving residents without the opportunity for a formal council discussion or vote on the record.
Northwest Valley Indivisible Co-Chair Brent Peak said the council has everything it needs to act now.
“The political cover is there,” said Peak. “Even conservative cities like Social Circle, Georgia have passed resolutions opposing ICE facilities — Social Circle went so far as to refuse to turn the water on until federal officials came to the table. Our council has heard from well over a hundred residents across three straight meetings. The community has spoken loudly and clearly. It’s time for the council to join them.”
Northwest Valley Indivisible is circulating a petition urging the Surprise City Council to pass a formal resolution condemning the facility, and calling on the council to use every available lever — including coordination with state and federal officials — to slow or stop the facility’s development. Residents of Surprise and surrounding areas can sign the petition at https://forms.gle/PPDRCPbaqXyeJPac7.
“Mayor Sartor’s words matter,” Peak added. “Leadership begins with listening, and we appreciate that. Now we look forward to the mayor and council turning that listening into action.”
Northwest Valley Indivisible (NWVI) is a volunteer progressive group organizing in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.