A federal judge ordered to halt the construction of an ICE facility near Gilroy, California, following a lawsuit from the state and Santa Clara County that accuses the federal government of proceeding with the project without conducting the required environmental reviews or consultations.
Telemundo News reported this Monday that the project was set to house up to 120 detainees on a site of about 24 acres located near Gilroy, in the southern part of Santa Clara County.
The judicial decision responds to a lawsuit filed in June by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Santa Clara County against the federal government.
The California Attorney General explained then that the land had been leased to the federal government in January 2025 to be used by ICE, likely as a facility of the Office of Detention and Removal Operations (ERO).
State authorities assert that the project proceeded without the required environmental assessment and without properly consulting the state or local government.
The complaint argues that the construction could impact the ecosystem, the habitat, and the agricultural value of lands that have been protected for agricultural use since the 1960s, in addition to putting pressure on the area's water, sewage, and road infrastructure.
The land is approximately 24.5 acres and is located in an unincorporated area of Santa Clara County, near Gilroy.
The authorities have also warned about the possible release of hazardous materials during the works and about a septic system that was not designed to handle the activities planned for the facility.
ICE had previously agreed to suspend the work until September 9, but the new court order maintains the halt as the litigation continues.
The parties must submit a proposal regarding the scope of the precautionary measure before September 30.
"No one is above the law, not even the federal government," Bonta stated after the ruling was announced.
The prosecutor accused the Trump administration of attempting to hasten construction "in secret," ignoring environmental safeguards and excluding the communities that could be affected.
The judicial setback comes as the Trump administration pushes for a significant expansion of the country's immigration detention capacity.
In July, it was reported that ICE was looking to expand or create detention centers in up to 14 locations within the United States and its territories, including Guantanamo Naval Base, Puerto Rico, Miami, and several states across the country.
That plan includes investments ranging from 24 to 40 million dollars per unit and is part of an effort to respond to the growing population in ICE custody, which exceeded 60,000 people in July.
However, the path to expansion has not been easy.
ICE had spent more than 1 billion dollars on the purchase of 11 commercial warehouses with the intention of converting them into large detention centers.
However, by June, most of those projects had already been halted due to legal actions related to their environmental impact in Maryland, Arizona, New Jersey, and Michigan.
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