Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall confirmed she will oppose any plan for an ICE detention facility in the city and sharply criticized federal immigration enforcement during her recent State of the City address, saying the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are damaging and divisive.
Her comments raised the stakes for local and state officials navigating federal immigration policy as rumors swirled about a possible detention site on the city’s west side. Rumors eased after property owners at 1197 N. 6880 West said they would not sell or lease the property to the federal government, effectively quashing immediate plans for a large detention center.
Mendenhall used the address to draw a clear line between city policy and federal enforcement tactics, describing actions taken by federal agents in Minnesota, Maine and elsewhere as “completely and utterly deplorable” and saying they create fear and erode trust in law enforcement…