The one-million-square-foot warehouse would have housed over 9,000 migrants, according to plans from ICE. (Photo courtesy of Loopnet)
The owner of a warehouse in Hutchins, located south of downtown Dallas, won’t sell the building to the Department of Homeland Security for it to become a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility.
After weeks of community backlash, the owner of a warehouse in Hutchins, Texas, released a statement announcing the company “has not and will not” lease or sell its property to the Department of Homeland Security.
In December, the Washington Post reported that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was eyeing a one-million-square-foot Amazon warehouse in Hutchins to turn into a detention center that could hold up to 9,5000 people—more than 10 times the capacity of the nearest ICE detention center in Prairieland and greater than the population of the city of Hutchins.
Majestic Realty Co. officials said the company was “contacted about the potential sale” of the Hutchins warehouse by DHS and ICE, according to reports from D Magazine, but that there is no plan to partner with the federal agencies.
“We’re grateful for the long-term relationship we have with Mayor Mario Vasquez and the City of Hutchins and look forward to continuing our work to find a buyer or lease tenant that will help drive economic growth,” Majestic noted in the statement.
DHS has been purchasing warehouses nationwide to use as detention camps, and the proposed facility in Hutchins would have been the largest.
Local advocates met in January to voice their opposition to the plans, and Hutchins residents made it clear that the community opposed the idea during a city council meeting at the beginning of the month.
Some residents called the facility a “moral issue” and said that ICE was treating migrants like “cattle,” while others addressed concerns that Hutchins would get an ICE facility before a grocery store.
Hutchins Mayor Pro Tem Steve Nichols confirmed that Majestic Realty Co. would not be leasing or selling the warehouse to ICE during a city council meeting on Feb. 16.
“As many are aware Majestic Realty released a statement earlier today that they will not be entering into any agreements for the purchase or lease of any building to the Department of Homeland Security for use as a detention facility,” Nichols said. “I want to first commend the owners of the building for their decision and look forward to working with Majestic Realty to find a tenant who is a good fit for the city of Hutchins. “
“The last several weeks have been challenging for many, however I want to thank everyone for their patience,” he added. “We heard your voices, your concerns did not go unnoticed.”
US Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) also voiced her relief in a statement.
“A detention facility of this scale would have placed significant strain on local infrastructure, stretched emergency services, and raised legitimate public safety and humanitarian concerns,” Crockett said. “These are not decisions that can be made behind closed doors, and they are not decisions that should ever be imposed on a community without its consent.
The news comes at a time when ICE and the DHS are planning to expand their physical presence across the US, according to federal records obtained by WIRED.
The federal agencies plan to put new facilities in every state, and in many cases, locate them near elementary schools, medical offices, places of worship, and other sensitive locations.
In Texas, facilities are planned for Eagle Pass, El Paso, Harlingen, Irving, San Antonio, and The Woodlands.
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