OKLAHOMA CITY –
The Oklahoma City Council provided an update on a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the southwest part of the city during a public meeting on Tuesday.
According to the agenda of Tuesday’s meeting, city councilors say Assistant City Manager Jason Ferbrache will provide a brief update to the council related to a letter received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in December.
The letter stated the Department’s intent to purchase and occupy a warehouse at 2800 S. Council Road to establish a “new Oklahoma City processing center” for use by ICE.
Additionally, the letter described features planned for the facility, including perimeter fencing, a guard shack, holding and processing areas, cafeterias and health care spaces.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Council recommended DHS participate in the city’s Special Permitting process.
The Oklahoma City Council says that if DHS participates in the Special Permit process, both the federal agency and community would engage in public hearings before the City Council and Planning Commission.
Additionally, as part of the process, city leaders would review the facility’s effect on traffic and other issues that may need special standards applied for the facility to “better coexist with its neighbors.”
The process also allows for DHS to address community concerns more directly, the council says.
The city council says the city is preparing a legal option should the federal government ignore the city’s permitting process. However, Oklahoma City Municipal Counselor Kenneth Jordan says an official lawsuit against the federal government would likely be unsuccessful.
The Oklahoma City Council previously said, due to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, it did not have the authority to oppose the project.
Regardless, state and local leaders have voiced concerns related to the project, citing a lack of transparency from federal authorities and a strain on existing resources.
