Every spring, tens of thousands of baseball fans pour into Surprise Stadium for Cactus League games — families from across the country, retirees soaking up the Arizona sun, kids getting their first taste of the majors. It’s one of the most visible moments the Surprise community gets on a national stage.
This year, we’re using that visibility for something that matters.
Northwest Valley Indivisible is taking our message directly to spring training. On multiple dates in March, we’ll be standing on the corner near Surprise Stadium as fans arrive — making sure that visitors from across the country can see exactly how Surprise residents feel about the $70 million ICE detention facility coming to our community. We want City Council to see it too.
Sign up for one date or all of them — more dates coming soon.
Event Details
📅 Dates:
- Tuesday, March 10
- Thursday, March 12
- Saturday, March 14
🕐 Time: Varies by day. See link below for times.
📍 Location: Southwest corner of Bullard Ave & Paradise Lane, Surprise
🚗 Parking: North side of Paradise Lane, across from the library
🔗 RSVP: mobilize.us/northwestvalleyindivisible/event/917203
Bring your voice. Bring your family. Bring a sign. Suggested messages:
- ICE OUT of Surprise
- NO ICE Facility in Surprise
- City Council, Say NO to ICE
Why Now — and Why Here
The federal government paid $70 million in cash for a 400,000+ square-foot warehouse near Waddell and Dysart Roads. If it opens as planned, it would operate as one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the state — housing thousands of people less than a mile from Dysart High School.
Since February, Surprise residents have packed city council chambers and organized protests drawing over 1,000 people. The community has spoken clearly. The pressure on City Council to respond with equal clarity is growing — and it needs to keep growing.
Spring training gives us something no ordinary Saturday protest can: a captive audience from across the state and country. When fans from Kansas City, Dallas, and beyond see Surprise residents standing publicly and peacefully with a clear message, they go home with a story. And stories travel. We want the whole country to know that this community is not rolling over.
A Note on the Bell Road Weekly Protests
The weekly ICE protests at Bell Rd & Civic Center Dr are paused for now. The spring training action is our focused effort. Watch this space and our social channels for updates on when the weekly presence resumes.
What to Know Before You Show Up
This is a peaceful, public demonstration on the public right-of-way. All are welcome, no prior organizing experience needed. We do ask that you:
- Leave weapons at home. This is a nonviolent action, no exceptions.
- Stay calm if challenged. Don’t engage with anyone looking for a confrontation. Our job is to be seen, not to argue.
- Bring water. This is Surprise in March. Sunscreen too.
Keep the Momentum Going — No Kings on March 28
Then, on Saturday, March 28, we go bigger.
No Kings Day brings together grassroots groups across multiple communities simultaneously. Events start at 9 AM at locations across the region, including Anthem, North Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, Sun City West, and Surprise.
This is how movements grow: consistent local presence, escalating at key moments, showing up in numbers that can’t be explained away.
Find your nearest No Kings location and sign up at nokings.org.
Show Up. Spread the Word.
RSVP for the spring training protests at mobilize.us/northwestvalleyindivisible/event/917203 and share this post with everyone you know in the West Valley. The more people who show up, the louder the message — and the harder it becomes for anyone in power to look away.