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Texans block ICE detention center sale in Hutchins
Residents of Hutchins, Texas, successfully blocked the conversion of a local warehouse into an ICE detention center after a weeks-long campaign prompted the property owner to decline a deal with the Department of Homeland Security.
HUTCHINS, Texas - A protest planned ahead of a Hutchins City Council meeting turned into a celebration Monday night after a real estate company said it would not sell or lease a vacant warehouse to the Department of Homeland Security for use as an ICE immigration detention center.
What we know:
Residents had spent weeks urging city leaders to oppose the potential conversion of the warehouse, located near the intersection of I-45 and I-20, into a facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.
On Monday morning, California-based Majestic Realty Co., which owns the property, said in a statement that although it had been contacted about the warehouse, it decided not to sell or lease the building to DHS for use as a detention center.
The statement marked the first public confirmation that DHS had expressed interest in the property.
Majestic Realty added that it values its relationship with Hutchins’ mayor and the city and intends to work with local officials to identify a different tenant.
What they're saying:
"We woke up this morning thinking that we were going to need to bring a different message to the city council and appeal to them to put in place a resolution opposing the warehouse," said Paul James, founder of Hutchins Citizens United, a group formed in response to the proposal.
James said he had spoken personally with representatives of Majestic Realty and believes the company’s family ownership played a role in its decision.
"I think that’s a really important key as to why they would care about a community," he said.
Local perspective:
Chants echoed outside City Hall as residents gathered ahead of the council meeting. What was initially organized as a protest became what some described as a victory rally.
"My voice matters, your voice matters, all of us coming together against something that we know is wrong… It just reaches to your core," said Kim Verriere, a spiritual director and member of the Clergy League for Emergency Action and Response.
Still, community leaders cautioned that their advocacy efforts are not over.
Dig deeper:
"There’s more to do," James said.
Organizers said they hope the outcome in Hutchins can serve as an example for other cities facing similar proposals. Verriere credited public pressure for influencing the decision.
"The public pressure, I think, ultimately led to this happening," she said.
What's next:
The warehouse sits on 61 acres in Hutchins, a city of about 8,000 residents south of Dallas. Community members said the proposed detention facility would have held more people than the city’s population.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4's Amelia Jones.