California sues federal government over ICE detention facility near Gilroy

The California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, together with Santa Clara County officials, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to block a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility near Gilroy. The suit alleges that the nearly 25‑acre parcel, currently zoned for agricultural use, was leased by the federal government without required state and local notification and violates federal environmental and zoning statutes.

The complaint asserts that the site, which includes greenhouses and an agricultural field, threatens endangered species, strains local water and waste infrastructure, and may expose workers and detainees to hazardous conditions. Construction began in early May despite the lack of a comprehensive environmental review. The federal government’s only formal communication, a brief letter, claimed the project was exempt from local planning review. The lawsuit seeks to halt construction until proper procedural and environmental reviews are completed.