EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso County Commissioners Court voted and approved an item to direct the El Paso County Attorney’s Office to file a federal lawsuit against the federal government to force the disclosure of records related to plans to open what they call a “mega” detention center within county limits; the county also demands for transparency for the residents of that area of town.
According to El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez, the lawsuit targets what local leaders describe as a “persistent pattern of secrecy by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the facility’s location and development.”
The federal government acquired some property in Socorro, Texas, back in January for more than $122 million and allegedly awarded a $30 million no-bid contract to design a facility capable of housing up to 8,500 individuals.
“Despite these significant developments, ICE has provided little to no information to the public regarding the project’s potential impact on critical community resources, including the water supply and local infrastructure,” said the El Paso County Attorney’s Office.
ABC-7 reported last month that the County was raising concerns over proposed ICE detention centers, including the proposed one in Socorro, Texas.
“Given the vast scale of this facility, it could place enormous demands on natural resources,
emergency services, public health systems, and local infrastructure,” said El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez. “Transparency is essential to ensure that both the public and local
governmental entities fully understand what is happening in the community and what plans are
in place to keep it safe and sustainable. Additionally, concerns raised about the federal government’s current oversight and management of migrant detention facilities only heighten
the urgency of obtaining this information,” Sanchez added.
According to the County Attorney’s Office, the legal basis for the litigation is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a federal law that ensures the public can access government documents to promote transparency and keep the government accountable.
Although the County Attorney’s Office submitted a formal records request in February, ICE did not comply with the law’s mandatory 20-day response deadline. Therefore, the proposed lawsuit seeks a federal court order declaring ICE’s failure to respond unlawful and compelling the immediate disclosure of all records related to the facility’s planning, funding, and environmental impact.
“Through this lawsuit, we are asking the Court to demand the federal government immediately process this FOIA request, order disclosure of all non-exempt records, and prevent ICE from withholding documents,” County Attorney Sanchez said. “The Freedom of Information Act requires federal agencies to respond within set time limits and ICE has missed every statutory deadline, leaving the County no other option but to seek judicial intervention.”
ABC-7 contacted DHS and ICE to request comment; we are still awaiting a response.