SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 30, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall released a statement after a virtual meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials regarding the detention center planned for 6020 W. 300 South.
Mendenhall has strongly opposed the planned center, which was purchased without consulting city leaders on whether the massive facility was a fit for the community or could be supported by available water and electrical resources.
“I spoke with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Charles Wall and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director Tim Kaiser during a 30-minute virtual, introductory meeting last week,” Mendenhall said in a statement Monday.
“I was told ICE plans for Salt Lake City to host one of its ‘mega centers,’ with capacity for approximately 7,500 to 10,000 individuals. It would represent a hub in the ‘hub and spoke’ model. They indicated they are waiting for a due diligence report on their recently acquired parcel of land and that the information would be shared with City officials. They expect work to begin on the site in the weeks and months ahead.”
Mendenhall said she asked “if they plan to coordinate with Salt Lake City regarding changes to the building and ‘life and safety’ measures the City typically enforces through building codes. They said they plan to consult our fire marshal on these issues, but did not commit to any other City review on the building.
“They did not provide information about the anticipated environmental and traffic impacts to the area, nor did they have specific information on utility needs for the site,” the Mayor said.
Mendenhall said her “position on this facility has not changed. I continue to share the deep concerns of many of our neighbors related to public safety, air quality, and potential impacts to the Great Salt Lake due to increased water use.
“I have heard from neighboring business operators who understandably have serious questions about the strain such a facility would have in the area. I will continue to be transparent with you about the facts of this situation as I learn them.”
Photo: Gephardt Daily/Patrick Benedict
City Council action
On March 24, the Salt Lake City Council adopted a water-use and land-use proposal from Mendenhall that could hinder development of a proposed large-scale ICE detention facility on the city’s west side.
The changes update Title 17 and Title 21A of city code governing daily water allowances for nonresidential uses and come as city officials evaluate the potential impact of a proposed 7,500-person detention center at 6020 W. 300 South in the warehouse acquired by the Department of Homeland Security.
In a statement issued ahead of last week’s meeting, Mendenhall said the proposed code updates are aimed at limiting high water-use developments amid worsening drought conditions.
Mendenhall stated a large detention facility would likely require 1 million to 2 million gallons of water per day, compared to about 5,600 gallons previously used at the warehouse site.
“Put simply, a potential high-occupancy facility interferes with those needs,” she said, referring to the city’s responsibility to ensure access to clean water, reliable utilities and safe infrastructure.
Gov. Cox’s response
Gov. Spencer Cox has yet to respond to Gephardt Daily’s request for comment on ICE’s now-confirmed plan for a detainee “mega-center.”
At a recent news conference, Cox said his office had not received advance notice of ICE’s acquisition of the facility and said the lack of communication was “frustrating.” It is unclear whether he had been informed of the latest ICE disclosure announced Monday by Mendenhall.
U.S. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, echoed Cox’s concerns over ICE’s latest warehouse purchase, calling “the decision to move forward with this facility via back-door negotiations — bypassing input from local leaders — shortsighted and likely counterproductive.”
Cox has acknowledged in previous interviews that he favors creating an ICE holding facility in Utah and other states, but he has yet to endorse any specific proposal.
