\u201cWe can\u2019t tell from the blueprints exactly how ICE might classify this facility, but what we do know is alarming,\u201d County Counsel Tony LoPresti said. \u201cIt\u2019s the type of facility that\u2019s been the subject of lawsuits throughout the nation for warehousing people in inhumane conditions. It\u2019s the type of facility that has signaled increasing enforcement throughout the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonta said he\u2019s pushing to stop the facility as part of a broader effort \u2014 totaling more than 70 cases against the federal government \u2014 to expose and bring an end to the mistreatment of people in existing ICE facilities across California.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of working to improve these conditions and treat detained individuals with the humanity and dignity they deserve, the administration is trying to jam in a new facility in a community that does not want it,\u201d Bonta said. \u201cThe administration may claim this is only an ICE office with only a short term detention capacity. But we\u2019ve seen what that really means in other instances. Across the country, ICE has misused short-term holding facilities as de-facto long-term detention sites where people face overcrowding \u2026 without required safeguards.\u201d<\/p>\n
The county argues the facility is unlawful because federal authorities didn\u2019t consult with them or solicit feedback on the project, and that the land is exclusively zoned for agricultural uses. Officials also raised concerns the facility is being built on a 25-acre plot of land with a history of hazardous materials stemming from longstanding research and development activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve uncovered three decades of documented leaks and spills of chemical compounds at this site,\u201d LoPresti said. \u201cThe blueprints shockingly appear to call for a hookup to a sewer system. The closest sewer system is almost a mile away. And the septic system is designed for a modest daytime use, not for a 24\/7 use with 60 employees and approximately 150 detainees.\u201d<\/p>\n
County leaders said they will seek to inspect the property and could pursue a state warrant to do so.<\/p>\n
Representatives for ICE and DHS were not immediately available for comment.<\/p>\n
Time is of the essence, as construction is already underway with workers spotted around the area. LoPresti said the county is looking for the court to take action \u201cquite soon,\u201d but it\u2019s unclear when a hearing will take place.<\/p>\n
Santa Clara County faces a steep uphill battle. While the property is not zoned for a detention center, the federal government could argue federal laws take precedence over local ones. At the same time, the county has historically been a leader on local jurisdictions\u2019 resistance to federal immigration crackdowns. The county led a coalition<\/a>, which included San Francisco, suing to stop attempts to cut funding to cities and counties that declare themselves sanctuaries for people without citizenship. Officials have also taken steps to coordinate real-time responses<\/a> to ICE operations and ban immigration authorities<\/a> from using county property for enforcement activity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have the experience, the resources and the qualified personnel to carry out this case,\u201d District 1 Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, whose represents South County where the project is located, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n Federal procurement records originally suggested<\/a> there would be a 4,000-square-foot detention center with office space. But the blueprints later outlined an ICE facility with interview and holding rooms, spaces for mothers with infants, visitation rooms, weapons and ammunition rooms, tactical equipment storage, offices for ICE personnel and a fitness center.<\/p>\n ICE previously denied plans for a facility at the location. After San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight asked about the project blueprints, an agency spokesperson described the project as an \u201cICE office\u201d and denied it being a detention facility.<\/p>\n The facility\u2019s disclosure has reverberated through neighboring regions. Monterey County officials in May voted to take another look at their land use policies<\/a> to block future federal government projects within their jurisdiction. They also voted to join any lawsuit Santa Clara County files against the Gilroy project.<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
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