they are building an ICE detention facility near me

[moonshinegnomie]

I went there to document it today.
very tall fence topped in razor wire. mirrored windows to prevent looking in. gate to let once vehilce thru at a time
I took photos to document it. employee admitted it was ICE at first then said all the vehicles in the lot belonged to contractor working to finish the interior.
he wasnt happy when i told him that makes him and the employees complicit in ICE's action and they will beheld accountable.

as john lewis said Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.


my next plan is calling out republicans as fascists at the texas state capitol

[MichMan]

1. How should a tradesperson working on the building be held accountable?

What do you think should happen to them?

[ck4829]

3. I know, right? They're just Good Americans following orders

[Mosby]

5. 👎

Do you work?

[moniss]

10. I work and I also refused to cross

picket lines or take part in deliveries for the Keystone Pipeline project even though it cost me money. I don't feed myself or my family by f**king over other people and justifying it by saying "I needed the money". People who aren't willing to make sacrifices for their beliefs are nothing but lip service.

[Hekate]

20. This

[Lokee11]

22. Big +1,000,000 to you

"If your actions do not live up to your words,
you have nothing to say!"

- D. Stokes.

✊FDT!

[MichMan]

24. What actions do you think the workers should have coming to them to send a message?

[moniss]

34. It is not a matter of

punitive it is a matter of not giving it a pass from publicly calling it out.

[Kaleva]

44. How do you know the OP is true?

[Violet_Crumble]

83. Why wouldn't it be? n/t

[Kaleva]

84. People believe what they want to believe

Pertinent and verifiable facts to back up the story would go a long way.

So far,the only sources that I've been able to find about this is this OP and a comment on Reddit.

The OP did give me an address and when I googled that, it lead me to a single comment on Reddit that contained a picture of a building that was surrounded by a fence covered with what looks like blue tarp.

[RVN VET71]

61. Yep, it's like the old German saying

"I was only following orders . . . " when they instructed me to install the gas lines and attach them to the shower lines in the 'bath houses.'

[Butterflylady]

73. Do they know their building concentration camps

Because they are, next thing they'll (immigrants) be disappearing.

[Farmer-Rick]

12. Exactly

Just working on a building is not immoral, illegal or complicit in abusing immigrant workers.

Now, whoever starts using that facility to abuse immigrant workers would be immoral, illegal and complicit. Right now that facility is just a big empty building. Just getting work their to build is not wrong. Hell, that building may just be another common prison.

[moniss]

35. When you know what the building is going to be used for

it is on you.

[Kaleva]

43. Where is this facility located?

If you know, it's on you to tell the rest of us

[moniss]

59. It's not on me it's on the OP

and it should be plain that I'm responding to any situation like this. Did you ever stop to think that an OP may not want to "locate" themselves for the entire internet? Even as friendly as the confines of DU are it does not mean that malevolent people of a particular political persuasion don't lurk here.

I took it on face value and made my comment in response to someone who seemed to go in the direction of it just being a job and so a worker involved has no social or moral responsibility. That is the same wrong attitude that people have used to knowingly work at chemical plants that have been operating in an unsafe manner and releasing toxins or endangering employee safety. "Sorry but I have a house payment" is not an excuse for knowingly taking part in something morally reprehensible and that you know is going to harm people.

[moonshinegnomie]

62. address of the building

20200 algreg
pflugerville texas

[Mosby]

71. Industrial property

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/20200-Algreg-St-Pflugerville-TX/20782226/

Don't see anything about ICE or immigration.

[Kaleva]

75. Thanks!

[Trueblue Texan]

48. So...what about the custodians at say...Auschwitz?

Or the ones who repaired the roads there? What about the people who built the gas chambers? They're just workers. Should they also be given a pass? Where is the line?

[Farmer-Rick]

82. The line is when you know

For certain that what you do assists in abuse, murder or torture.

[Shipwack]

17. The movie Clerks actually addressed this issue...

?si=5EF8UG6wOUruwwnh

[MineralMan]

2. Where is this facility?

I mean exactly.

[Hekate]

21. Since it's not a state secret (yet) it would be good to know

[moonshinegnomie]

63. 20200 algreg pflugerville texas

[MineralMan]

68. I looked at that location.

Doesn't look big enough for that use.

[moonshinegnomie]

69. unless

its being used to hold immigrants just detained before they are tranfered to a larger facility. similar to a holding cell in a local police station. (which is what i suspect it will be used for)

[MineralMan]

70. OK. Here is the building at that address:

The property is just 1.65 acres. The building that is already there appears to be a 2-story low-end metal industrial building. It could possibly be a temporary holding facility for ICE soon, but that's all there is room for there. So far, it looks more like people have heard something about what is going on, but I can't find any confirmation for it being ICE-related. It might be, but there's no reliable information available saying so. Just rumors or unsubstantiated stories.

Looks like there's going to be a protest there on February 3, though.

Maybe this is just jumping the gun on something. That's what I suspect.

Thank you for coming back and providing the location. Now, it will be possible to follow what is going on.

A suburb of Austin seems to be an odd place for ICE to set up a major facility. That property is right in the middle of a more or less commercial/industrial area. It just seems like a strange place to build such a facility.

[LeftInTX]

76. They have two or (3?) ICE facilities near me.

Check In Center
https://maps.app.goo.gl/znksTUJUgM6Le55R8

According to ICE this is their field office
https://maps.app.goo.gl/D2tUDXgvXerQvNJf9
https://www.ice.gov/field-office/san-antonio-field-office (However, maybe there website is outdated)

There is also a field office here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WmkU3RYEpZpAt8qS7

I assume, field office is where the agents offices are etc.

The nearest ICE detention center is in Pearsall on the highway in the middle of nowhere. If is also a processing center
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mnsx7g9nJwzvvVTW6
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2024/10/07/south-texas-ice-processing-center-approaches-full-capacity-as-dps-continues-to-apprehend-immigrants/
https://txilc.org/detention-center/south-texas-ice-processing-center/
However, ICE agents from the San Antonio area obviously bring migrants to Pearsall.

The location in the OP, looks like it could be a check in center? Seems a bit small for detention.
Maybe they will use adjacent land for a processing center like the one in Pearsall.
However, Pflugerville, which is an Austin suburb is very different that Pearsall. Pflugerville is growing. Towns like Pearsall in South Texas welcome any type of jail because they provide jobs.

Additionally, they already have a detention center for the Austin area. It is located in Hutto. It's only a few miles from Pflugerville


The group that is holding the protest is a political party.
Party for Socialism and Liberation. They were Anti-Biden, Anti-Kamala and had their own presidential candidates.
They want to abolish borders. They want to abolish the police. They want to abolish the military. So, they will protest just about anything. If it has anything to do with border patrol or ICE they will protest. Unfortunately, it's protests like this is how the get people interested in them and then they oppose Democrats. It's fair to protest, but I feel it's best to hook up with a few Democrats. I know this isn't Greg Casar's district, but it is close. Maybe contacting Greg Casar's office and finding out more about the facility may be helpful.

[moonshinegnomie]

80. tahts what it used to look like

its now surrounded by a high fence topped with razor wire,mirrored windows to prevent looking in,security cameras, a gate for entry and another one for exit so a vehicle can be locked in for unloading.
it appears to be a place to hold immigrants until they are transfered to a larger facility,like a police station holding cell or a small town jail

[Brenda]

86. You would almost think some DUers don't know how the Google works.

It's not like the images are up to date, especially in some out of the way place.

Most of the images you google are out of date, some by years.

[moonshinegnomie]

81. this is it now

[Brenda]

87. Thanks for confirming it, doing direct action and standing up

to the gatekeepers and um, others here.

[Walleye]

4. I thought their big complaint was we shouldn't have to pay to houses and feed these people. They really need to admit

Their objective is cruelty

[Avalon Sparks]

40. There objective is slavery

The detainees have the ‘option’ to work for $1 a day now. How long will that remain optional?

[Walleye]

45. That's atrocious, worse than I thought

[ancianita]

6. A lot of us already have ICE detention facilities near us, along with ICE field offices.

[duhneece]

15. El Paso has a triple whammy

I protested and rallied more than a dozen times-once at the border with Juarez, we accidentally went into Mexico looking for a bathroom. I’m 5’ even and my friend is even shorter-both of us were in our late 60’s, early 70’s so the Border Patrol agents came running to us but we didn’t appear threatening so they were kind to us.
We were at Tornillo and in El Paso after the mass killings.

[ancianita]

16. I've been there at least eight times. I hear you. El Paso is a "major gateway" is why.

[duhneece]

30. I graduated from high school in 1969

Still go to hear folks I knew in grade school play rock and roll oldies. I still dance 💃🏻
Come to El Paso May 10 to hear some great music

[Hekate]

23. Thx ancianita. Facts help.

[ancianita]

28. absolutely, Hekate

[Beachnutt]

7. Please post pictures

Thank you.

[ekelly]

8. Where exactly is the facility and where are the pictures?

[Lonestarblue]

50. Take pictures and send them to media along with photos showing barbed wire at one of Hitler's concentration camps.

We need to be as in-your-face as Republicans would be.

[AlexSFCA]

9. why would a poor contract be accountable and for what?

that’a a ridiculous thing to say. Those are government working class contractors making a living.

[Orrex]

11. A concentration camp, you say?

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Good for you! Good trouble

[spanone]

18. Today he said there are 30,000 beds in Gitmo. He's raving mad.

[Bigerhalf]

19. Why does D L need all these Detention Facilities

since they are flying immigrants out on very costly military transports at 60 people per load?
What on earth could they ever use these holding facilities for in the future?
I wonder if all the labor are WASPS and I doubt you could classify the contractors as " poor" unless trump stiffs them

[kerry-is-my-prez]

27. It's probably for us liberals (intellectuals)

[Avalon Sparks]

41. For slave labor

$1 a day. It’s already happening….. although working is optional for detainees now.

[maxsolomon]

25. This couldn't possibly have been contracted in the last 9 days since MF was installed.

Or permitted. Or built.

Where is this?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

33. If you have a Republican state, they've been working on it.

In Florida, DeSantis tried to build in public land/parks. People were protesting like crazy. This is one thing that the Republicans even will not stand for.

[maxsolomon]

37. Not if it's a Federal Project and the poster is saying it's ICE.

There are rules, even in Florduh.

[tritsofme]

26. Always been a fan of compelling pieces of fiction!

[TBF]

29. IDK where OP lives, but they say Texas, and it's true that our state has offered land

I found a link on BBC, which should be paywall free. This area would be near Rio Grande City, which is west of McAllen. I did a google search in my county south of Texas but don't see anything mentioned yet.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87xqwd71wzo

[Cirsium]

38. Say what?

You deny the existence of ICE detention facilities?

[Kaleva]

42. Where is this particular ICE detention facility located?

[moonshinegnomie]

65. 20200 algreg pflugerville

[Monsieur_Grumpe]

31. Location?

[mysuzuki2]

32. It sounds like a nice facility

It would be a shame if something happened to it…

[SoFlaBro]

36. Let's fucking go ahead and post all of the pictures of this MAGA fuck shit.

[RainCaster]

39. They are sending them to Gitmo

Cuba can't feed their own people right now, and TSF wants to send 30,000 immigrants there.

[Kaleva]

46. Why is the location of this facility being kept secret?

[LymphocyteLover]

74. it's not secret

the address is in post #2

[Mike 03]

47. If you feel uncomfortable giving the exact location could

you please tell us which state it is in? Oh wait, I guess you sort of did. That makes sense. I'm waiting for some of these to go up in AZ, probably between Phoenix and Tucson. (We have an ICE field office in Phoenix).

[Kaleva]

53. What's the purpose of taking pics then?

[Moose102]

49. John Lewis was a great man

Hi, Thanks for being a maker of good trouble! I do what I can here in NY. Be careful.

[KS Toronado]

58. Welcome to DU !

[Elessar Zappa]

52. Where?

And can you post the pictures?

[moonshinegnomie]

66. photo from a poster of the planned protest

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

54. If they are that far along with construction

This was contracted and started during Biden's term. There is no way a Federal government contract got written up, approved, awarded, and had ground broken in a span of 10 days. I don't care who is in charge, the Federal government cannot move that fast on something like this.

[SARose]

55. ERO breaks ground for new dormitory at El Paso Processing Center

EL PASO, Texas — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) El Paso Field Office Director Mary De Anda-Ybarra and five others, including members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, broke ground on the site of a new dormitory for the El Paso Processing Center in East El Paso on March 7.

The new building will replace four dormitories that were built when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) owned facility was established in 1966. It will hold 216 people; the El Paso Processing Center has the capacity to hold 840 detainees. ERO will house detainees who are pending removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review or are awaiting removal to their home countries.

More

Is this it?

[Littlered]

56. I am seriously confused.

As a Democrat and member here. Do I have to blindly support people that have broken our immigration laws? I know quite a few immigrants and dependents thereof that support deportation. This whole thing confuses me. I was raised to obey the law (right or wrong) or face the consequences. I’m also a person of extraordinary compassion. Anyway I’m truthfully trying to grasp this.

[MineralMan]

57. To the OP: Where Are You?

As far as I can tell, you posted this and then never returned to the thread. A number of posters, including myself, asked where this facility is. Others asked other questions. You did not respond.

Please come back and clarify your original post.

[moonshinegnomie]

67. i've been out of contact since yesterday afternoon

this is a poster from a group organizing a protest on saturday. their phot is better than mine it was very damp and foggy here (dense fog advisories) yesterday so their photo is clearer

the address is 20200 algreg pflugerville texas. a friend of mine who is heavily involved with texas dems contacted t he city who confirmed its an ICE facility and it out of their jurisdiction.

[LeftInTX]

78. The appraisal district says that it is private property owned by an LLC in Beverly Hills, CA

https://travis.prodigycad.com/property-detail/463811/2024

I checked the map too...all surrounding properties appear to be private. However, the highway is owned by the state.
https://travis.prodigycad.com/maps

But it is a federal contractor: https://app.g2xchange.com/companies/VURHR5TE7CL5 with Zero federal contracts. And here is the owner of the LLC: https://www.corporationwiki.com/p/32gir6/max-stern

However, our ICE office is also in a strip center. However, all that is there are offices. The Appraisal District does list it as privately owned because the building is owned by the people that also house Planet Fitness. It is listed as DBA Shopping Center


There is also an ICE check in center. It is listed as DBA Govt Office

[moonshinegnomie]

79. they are a goverment contravtor who acts as the middle man for the government

the city confirmed its ICE

[WOLFMAN87]

60. Stop calling them detention centers

Call them concentration camps

[moonshinegnomie]

64. this the building with details of a planned protest

the building is surrounded by a tall fence covered in razoe wire
the windows are nirrored to prvent looking inside
there are both entrance and exit gates so a vehicle can pull in,the gate closed and teh vehicle unloaded before the other g ate opens to allow a vehicle to exit

[FraDon]

72. Hope you are upwind of the crematoria.

n/t

[LeftInTX]

77. I would contact Congressman Lloyd Doggett's office [phone] to find out more about this facility

The group that is organizing the protest is a political party who had their own presidential candidates and they hate the Democrats (Just an FYI to beware about them!) They will even protest a new police station! They protested Biden constantly. They wear masks not because of Covid.



Parts of Pflugerville are in Doggett's district. And his congressional district is in the same ICE region, so he should know what is going on in his ICE region.





There is already an ICE detention center nearby in Hutto.
I would contact Doggett's office and find out!!


Doggett has been in congress forever. And you don't have to live in his district. I was districted out of Castro's office and he told me that I was still free to contact him. Just let them know you live nearby and are just looking to find out some information because you know that he would likely have that information because of his extensive experience.
https://doggett.house.gov/

You could also call your congressman, who is likely a repuke. Just asking info like, how big will it be? Is this going to decrease property values? Be a NIMBY type with the repuke.

You have every right to be informed and voice your concerns.

[moonshinegnomie]

85. an update

UPDATE FROM A CITY OFFICIAL RE: HOMELAND SECURITY FACILITY
From John Garcia, Assistant Field Office Director for Homeland Security: "This will be a public facing facility where someone will be able to come to request documents, inquire about pending immigration status, or receive general information about the immigration process. This facility will also house agents and can be used to process arrests, but no subjects would be housed there. It is not set up for that type enforcement action."


its a holding cell just like in a police station. in other words its still a detention center no matter what they want to call it

[Kaleva]

88. Any update on how the protest planned for 2 pm 2/1 went?

[moonshinegnomie]

89. i posted pictures from there

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219974658

[Kaleva]

90. Thank you! Looks like a good turnout.