The city of Concord is among 21 locations across the country where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is acquiring massive warehouses that it plans to convert into immigrant detention centers.
The information published by the newspaper New York Times On February 18, the story caught the attention of representatives from the city of Concord and Cabarrus County, after several local media outlets reported the information.
In a social media post, the City of Concord stated: “The city is aware of rumors in the community that the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency may be considering a location within Concord or Cabarrus County for a detention center. The City has not been contacted and is unaware of any plans by the agency.”
He also said, “Private property and commercial real estate transactions take place daily throughout the city and do not require notification, review, or approval from the city.”
Cabarrus County also said it was “not aware of any plans” by ICE to have a site there, according to a spokesperson.
ICE expansion has its sights set on North Carolina
Concord is the only North Carolina city listed in the report on this type of activity. ICE expansion plan of mass detention centers in the United States.
The map published by the newspaper shows the warehouse located at 7250 Weddington Road, near the well-known Concord Mills Mall, and which, according to property records and documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would have a capacity for 1,500 beds.
ICE's expansion plan in North Carolina also includes the opening of other three immigrant detention centers, according to documents released in early February by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The documents indicate that ICE has plans to establish two centers in Greensboro: one old Hebrew school and another facility, but neither the city nor the facility owners have been contacted by the federal government.
A third detention center would be located in a closed prison in the town of Winton, in the northeast of the state, owned by GEO Group.
The agency also has plans to open more offices across the country, including leasing space in various cities, including Cary, North Carolina, according to a report by Wired.com
Voices are rising up against detention centers
The idea of having ICE immigrant detention centers has raised the voices of community leaders and motivated protests by activist groups against these prisons, such as the one recently held in front of the GEO Group offices in Charlotte, by the Party for Socialism and Liberation of Charlotte (PSL Charlotte).
Another protest was held by the group Indivisible Cabarrus County, Sunday, February 22nd at Weddington Road, near the winery in Concord.
According to the New York Times, only eight of the 21 buildings have been purchased by ICE, while the remaining 13 are under "proposed" status.
El ICE's most recent report It indicates that 68,000 people are currently in ICE custody, and that with the new mass detention model, it is expected to expand its capacity by more than 92,600 by November.
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