UCC Backs Lawsuit to Block Proposed ICE Jail in Salt Lake City

The U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement warehouse at 6020 W. 300 South in Salt Lake City. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch)

The Utah Citizens’ Counsel (UCC) stands in full support for the impending lawsuit being filed in U.S. District Court by UPROAR Utah, a committee of the Utah Refugee Justice League. The legal action seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to halt the unlawful decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to establish a massive immigration jail in Salt Lake City.

This planned facility directly violates the core values of our community, as articulated in the UCC Declaration of Utah Human Rights. Specifically, the UCC highlights two foundational principles:

• Article 1 (Dignity and Equitable Treatment): "All Utahns, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender and gender identity, language, disability, political preference, age, birth status, military status, or another status, are entitled equally to dignity and respect as human beings and to equitable treatment under the law."

• Article 5 (Security of Person): "All Utahns have the right to security of person, especially freedom from physical harm and psychological abuse, whether experienced within the family or in the community at large."

The establishment of a massive immigration detention complex undermines the human dignity, respect, and safety that every individual in our state deserves. UCC urges federal authorities to respect federal laws—including the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Endangered Species Act—and immediately halt plans for this facility. We stand firmly with UPROAR Utah in defending the rights, environment, and well-being of all members of our community.