Massive Dallas-area warehouse will not be used as an ICE detention center, developer says
The owners of a million-square-foot warehouse outside of Dallas said in a statement Monday that they would not sell or lease the building to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Leaders and citizens of the small city of Hutchins have been on edge in recent weeks after The Washington Post, Bloomberg and other news outlets reported that the warehouse was among about two dozen nationwide that the Department of Homeland Security identified to possibly convert into detention centers for tens of thousands of people detained in immigration enforcement operations. A detention facility in the Hutchins warehouse could reportedly hold up to 10,000 people, dwarfing the city's population of 6,000.
The warehouse is located along I-45, about 12 miles southeast of Downtown Dallas.
The Hutchins City Council heard from concerned residents earlier this month, with Mayor Mario Vasquez saying that the federal government had not contacted the city or attempted to obtain any necessary permits. A group of state and local officials also held a news conference decrying the reported plans.
There were even rumors that the warehouse had already been sold. Concerns among residents persisted, even as the DHS said there were no new detention centers to announce.
On Monday, Majestic Realty Co. confirmed in a statement to CBS News Texas that it had been "contacted about the potential sale" of the building, but the company "has not and will not enter into any agreement for the purchase or lease of any building to the Department of Homeland Security for use as a detention facility."
"We're grateful for the long-term relationship we have with Mayor Mario Vasquez and the City of Hutchins and look forward to continuing our work to find a buyer or lease tenant that will help drive economic growth," the statement said.
Residents at City Council meeting relieved
At Monday's City Council meeting, residents expressed a sense of relief, now knowing the massive warehouse in Hutchins will not become a large-scale ICE detention facility.
"The last time I checked, there were about eight different sources to verify that this had occurred; it was caution, but it was unbelievable," said Paul James, with Hutchins Citizens United.
Dallas ISD Trustee Byron Sanders, who represents schools in Wilmer-Hutchins, says this is the right decision.
"We deeply felt that if this facility was established here, I think we would have a devastating impact on enrollment and continuity of education because these people do not feel safe," Sanders said.
Those who have been involved in this fight since the very beginning say the work isn't over.
"Now Hutchins is free, but who knows where they will be looking now," said Rocio Bamihe, with Lovers Lane UMC. "But we're aware of our surroundings, what is happening, cities nearby that could be a possible next step for ICE, and we will be there."
In their statement, Majestic Realty Co. did not explain why it declined the sale. At this time, the property is still on the market.
