Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah on June 8, 2026, to block the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement from converting a local warehouse into a large-scale immigration detention facility.
Federal Warehouse Conversion Plan Under Fire
The legal challenge, filed under the case name Salt Lake City Corporation v. Mullin, targets the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and their senior officials. According to court records, the plaintiffs are contesting the federal government's recent purchase and planned redevelopment of an 83-acre property within the city.
The lawsuit alleges that on or around March 11, 2026, DHS purchased an 833,000 square-foot warehouse located in Salt Lake City. The facility is intended to be repurposed as part of ICE's nationwide "Detention Reengineering Initiative" (DRI), a program designed to expand the agency's detention capacity.
Environmental and Regulatory Allegations
The proposed facility is expected to be significantly larger than existing local infrastructure can support. The complaint states that the warehouse is intended to house between 7,500 and 10,000 detainees.
Local officials expressed specific concerns regarding the environmental and logistical strain such a high-capacity center would place on the region. The plaintiffs allege that the federal government failed to conduct any required environmental reviews as mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Lack of Local Consultation
Beyond environmental review failures, the lawsuit claims that federal agencies bypassed necessary communications with local leadership. The complaint alleges that DHS and ICE failed to consult with state and local governments as required by the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act (ICA).
The plaintiffs argue that this lack of transparency prevents local municipalities from preparing for the massive influx of people and resources the facility would require.
Threats to Water and Public Health
The lawsuit highlights several critical threats to Salt Lake City's existing infrastructure and public safety. The plaintiffs allege that the detention center would consume between one and two million gallons of water every day, a figure that arrives amidst an ongoing drought emergency in the region.
In addition to water usage, the complaint asserts that the facility would overwhelm local sewage systems. The legal filing also notes that the presence of such a large population could worsen an active measles crisis currently affecting the area and place a significant financial burden on local law enforcement resources.
Legal Relief Sought
In seeking to halt the project, Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are asking the court for several forms of relief. The plaintiffs have requested declaratory relief, a vacatur of the original purchase decision, and injunctive relief to stop the conversion of the warehouse.
The lawsuit also seeks the recovery of attorneys' fees and costs associated with the litigation. The case is currently ongoing before Judge Jill N. Parrish in the District of Utah.
