ICE Pepper Spray Incident Raises Concerns at Arizona Holding Facility

911 call reveals ICE pepper-sprayed 47 detainees in overcrowded holding facility

In the early morning hours of late February, a 911 call was made from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Mesa because a man was having a seizure after immigration agents used pepper spray on a group of 47 detainees in an enclosed room.“Um, yeah we had, uh, a officer safety issue ...

ICE Pepper Spray Incident Raises Concerns at Arizona Holding Facility

Mesa, Arizona — Newly released 911 audio from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Mesa has intensified scrutiny over overcrowding and use-of-force practices inside temporary detention centers used during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. The call, obtained by the Arizona Mirror through a public records request, captured an ICE officer requesting emergency medical assistance after agents used pe…

911 call reveals ICE pepper-sprayed 47 detainees in overcrowded Mesa holding facility

The Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport houses a temporary holding facility for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that houses people detained for immigration violations before they are either flown to long-term detention centers or are deported. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror)In the early morning hours of late February, a 911 call was made from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforc…