Questions grow over possible ICE 'mega center' in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY – Local and state leaders are seeking answers after the federal government purchased a massive warehouse on Salt Lake City's west side, raising concerns it could become part of a new, large-scale immigration detention system.

The property, an 833,000-square-foot warehouse situated on nearly 25 acres at 6020 W. 300 South, was acquired by the Department of Homeland Security for about $145 million. Officials have not yet confirmed how the facility will be used, but similar developments across the country are offering clues.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership has indicated plans to overhaul its detention system, aiming for faster processing and removals with funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act totaling $38.3 billion.

According to Mackenzie Heinrichs, associate professor of law and director of the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law, the new system is modeled after large-scale logistics networks, like Amazon, as ICE Director Todd Lyons expressed last year.

"Essentially, they are trying to model this new detention center system after an Amazon distribution warehouse style," Heinrichs said.

The initiative — referred to as the "ICE Detention Reengineering Initiative" or "Hub and Spoke" model — calls for the creation of eight "mega centers" nationwide. Each facility could house between 7,000 and 10,000 people for up to 60 days and function as the "primary locations for international removals." These would be supported by 16 smaller regional facilities, with capacities of 1,000 to 1,500 detainees, designed for shorter stays of three to seven days, primarily serving as "staging locations for transfers or removals."

Additionally, ICE would purchase 10 existing "turnkey" facilities where it already operates with the goal of "strategically increasing" capacity to 92,600 beds.

"Previously, ICE has detained people mostly through local contracts, jails typically. They had also been doing contracts with private detention facilities," Heinrichs said. "This would be a big departure in terms of ICE owning a lot more of their detention centers."

DHS has shared its plans with officials in states like New Hampshire and Georgia, where the department explored or made similar warehouse acquisitions. Heinrichs said Salt Lake City's location and infrastructure could make it a strong candidate for one of these large-scale detention hubs.

"Because of its proximity to the airport and major roads, as well as how large it is, it's definitely possible they could be planning to build a mega detention center here," she said. "It's also possible the facility could be used more as a transit hub for temporary detention."

Related:

'We need an ICE facility': Cox expresses support for immigrant detention center

Gov. Spencer Cox supports plans for an immigrant detention center in Utah and has reached out to federal officials to collaborate on the plans.

On Thursday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said his administration was not notified in advance of the purchase but said there was a need for an ICE facility in the state.

"My thoughts are we need an ICE facility — we need to get the right kind of ICE facility," Cox said.

The uncertainty has sparked concern among some residents. Miranda Giles, a Kearns resident and trustee on the Kearns Improvement District Board who participated in a protest at the warehouse Wednesday, questioned whether the facility is suitable for long-term detention.

"I worked at the Amazon warehouse when I worked here — it's not designed to hold people indefinitely," Giles said.

Heinrichs also said that if the facility becomes a major detention center, it could house immigrants transported from other states as part of the national system.

According to the initiative, ICE aims to have its new detention network operational by Nov. 30.

Until then, local officials, including democratic leaders, said they are pressing for transparency about what role the Salt Lake City warehouse will ultimately play.

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