FLORENCE — Arizona’s three Democratic U.S. House members are demanding answers about a reported $1.2 billion contract to expand immigration detention facilities in Florence, KTAR News reported.
Project Salt Box reported the contract was awarded Sept. 20 to GardaWorld Federal Services, a subsidiary of the Canada-based security company.
Reps. Greg Stanton, Yassamin Ansari and Adelita Grijalva wrote to GardaWorld President Pete Dordal Jr. on Oct. 6 seeking details. They also asked him to answer their March inquiry about the company’s contract with the Department of Homeland Security to convert a Surprise warehouse into a detention facility, and about its undisclosed role in an environmental review there.
“It is deeply concerning that, despite the significant scale of these projects and their potential impact on surrounding communities, local governments continue to learn about them only after contracts have been awarded,” the lawmakers wrote.
The town of Florence was not told about the planned expansion, according to an Arizona Republic report cited by KTAR.
Ansari has visited the Florence Correctional Center and described detainees documenting medical neglect. A Haitian detainee, Emmanuel Damas, died earlier this year from dental problems while held there, KTAR reported.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
