SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Republican leaders in Utah have yet to respond to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of a large warehouse, intended to be used by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a detention facility.
A deed recorded this week with the Salt Lake County Recorder shows the federal government purchased the property at 6020 W. 300 South for about $145 million from RREEF CPIF 6020 W. 300 S LLC, a real estate investment entity tied to Deutsche Bank.
Property records show the warehouse sits less than five miles from Salt Lake City International Airport and near two major interstate corridors, I-15 and I-80.
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According to county property records, the building was constructed in 2021 as part of the Gardner Logistics Center industrial development. The warehouse is more than 837,000 square feet and sits on just under 25 acres of land.
In a statement to KUTV, an ICE spokesperson confirmed the agency purchased the Salt Lake City facility.
“These will be very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards,” the agency said.
ICE said the site will undergo community impact studies and due diligence reviews to ensure the facility does not create strain on local infrastructure.
The agency also said the project is expected to bring nearly 9,900 jobs to the area and contribute $1.1 billion to the regional economy and generate more than $230 million in tax revenue.
“These economic benefits don’t even take into account that removing criminals from the streets makes communities safer for business owners and customers,” the agency said in a statement.
The purchase has drawn criticism from several Democratic leaders and organizations in Utah.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement that “a detention center does not belong in our capital city” and that the city is exploring possible legal options.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, the Utah Democratic Party, Democratic lawmakers in the Utah House and Senate, the NAACP and the Salt Lake City Council also released statements opposing the facility.
KUTV reached out to Utah’s federal delegation asking whether they support an ICE detention facility in Salt Lake City, whether they believe it is a good use of taxpayer dollars and whether they believe it would improve public safety.
A staff member for Rep. Burgess Owens said they had not yet discussed the issue with the congressman. Other members of the delegation and Republican state leaders did not respond before deadline.
Federal officials have not announced when the facility could open or how many people it may hold.
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