ICE Detention Centers in Arizona: A Comprehensive Guide

What is an ICE Detention Center?

An ICE detention center is a facility operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting deportation proceedings. These facilities are often controversial, and there have been numerous allegations of human rights violations in ICE detention centers.

How Many ICE Detention Centers Are in Arizona?

There are currently three ICE detention centers in Arizona:

Eloy Detention Center (Eloy, AZ)
Florence Correctional Center (Florence, AZ)
La Palma Correctional Center (Eloy, AZ)

What are the Conditions Like in ICE Detention Centers?

The conditions in ICE detention centers have been widely criticized. A 2018 report by the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General found that the conditions in many ICE detention centers were "below basic standards".

Some of the most common complaints about the conditions in ICE detention centers include:

Overcrowding
Poor sanitation
Lack of access to medical care
Inadequate food
Abuse by staff

Who is Detained in ICE Detention Centers?

The vast majority of individuals detained in ICE detention centers are not criminals. In fact, a 2018 report by the American Civil Liberties Union found that over 90% of individuals detained in ICE detention centers had no criminal record.

The most common reason why individuals are detained in ICE detention centers is because they have overstayed their visa. Other reasons include entering the country illegally, or being convicted of a crime that makes them deportable.

How Long Are Individuals Detained in ICE Detention Centers?

The average length of detention in an ICE detention center is 34 days. However, some individuals are detained for much longer periods of time.

There are a number of factors that can affect the length of detention, including the individuals immigration history, the country they are from, and whether or not they have a criminal record.

What are the Costs of ICE Detention?

The costs of ICE detention are substantial. In 2018, ICE spent over $2 billion on detention operations.

The average cost of detaining an individual in an ICE detention center is $122 per day.

What are the Alternatives to ICE Detention?

There are a number of alternatives to ICE detention, including:

Releasing individuals on bond
placing individuals in supervised release programs
allowing individuals to remain in the community with an ankle monitor

These alternatives are typically less expensive than detention and are more humane.

What are the Legal Challenges to ICE Detention?

There have been a number of legal challenges to ICE detention, including:

A 2016 lawsuit by the ACLU challenging the conditions in ICE detention centers
A 2017 lawsuit by the Southern Poverty Law Center challenging the governments use of private prisons to detain immigrants
A 2018 lawsuit by the Center for Constitutional Rights challenging the governments policy of separating families at the border

These lawsuits have had some success, but the legal challenges to ICE detention are ongoing.

What is the Future of ICE Detention?

The future of ICE detention is uncertain. The Biden administration has pledged to end the use of private prisons to detain immigrants and to reduce the number of individuals detained by ICE.

However, it is unclear whether the Biden administration will be able to achieve these goals. The issue of ICE detention is complex and there are a number of stakeholders with different interests.

Conclusion

The issue of ICE detention is complex and controversial. There are strong arguments both for and against the continued use of ICE detention centers.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to end ICE detention is a political one. The Biden administration has pledged to end the use of private prisons to detain immigrants and to reduce the number of individuals detained by ICE. However, it is unclear whether the Biden administration will be able to achieve these goals.