Arizona Democratic Lawmakers Condemn Overcrowding at Mesa ICE Facility After Surprise Oversight Visit

Three Democratic members of Congress from Arizona made an unannounced visit to an immigration holding center in Mesa on Thursday night and said they witnessed conditions they called "shameful" and "disgusting."

Representatives Adelita Grijalva, Greg Stanton, and Yassamin Ansari arrived at the Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center at Mesa Gateway Airport around 9:30 p.m. on April 9, 2026. They were there for approximately one hour.

The lawmakers said they were initially rebuffed by ICE staff who allegedly told them they needed seven days notice before conducting an inspection. Representatives Ansari and Stanton recalled that the federal judge who ruled congressional members do not need to notify ICE was referenced in paperwork the lawmakers filled out.

"We first told us we needed to give them seven days notice," Ansari said. "We reminded them we did not. The paperwork we filled out then referenced the fact we had authority to be there."

What They Saw

The three lawmakers described seeing migrants lying "like sardines" shoulder-to-shoulder on concrete floors in rooms where fire code signs indicated a maximum occupancy of 24 people per room.

"We don't treat animals like this. People would be outraged," Grijalva said.

The representatives said they counted more than twice the indicated occupancy inside the rooms. Grijalva appeared emotional as she described seeing migrants lying in these conditions.

They also said they observed two charter buses filled with detainees at the facility.

"We now know that detainees are staying here for multiple days," Stanton said. "This is a facility that was meant for short-term stays as people await their flights for deportation. We now know that detainees are staying here for multiple days. It's unacceptable."

Ansari said migrants spoke to them under a crack in a doorway; they were "very hot," and some of them needed medical attention for fevers.

"The pattern here is that every person you talk to gives a different answer, a vague answer. They do everything they can to evade accountability and responsibility," Ansari said.

Grijalva added, "There's no way that we could treat animals like this. People would be outraged, but apparently it's fine to treat people this way. It's disgusting and we as a country, these people deserve better, and we need to do better."

Republican Response

The holding center at Mesa-Gateway Airport sits in the congressional district of Andy Biggs (R). A spokesperson for Biggs issued a statement that did not address whether he had visited the site.

Biggs blamed Democrats for delaying funding to Homeland Security.

"Democrats would rather shut the government down than properly fund DHS so our law enforcement agents can effectively and responsibly do their job," Biggs said in a written statement. "Instead of working towards a solution, they'd prefer to launch politically motivated stunts to attack the officers doing their best to keep our communities safe."

Biggs said he's confident Homeland Security is "deporting violent criminals while respecting basic rights."

Department of Homeland Security Response

A spokesperson for Homeland Security provided a written statement to 12News. It says in part, "Their claims this facility is overcrowded and horrific are FALSE."

"ICE operates under strict federal standards, oversight and accountability, and claims of chaotic and inhumane conditions are misinformation, not a reflection of actual practice," the statement read.

The statement concluded, "When will these congressional members discuss the horrific crimes committed by illegal aliens against American citizens?"

Data Context

According to FactCheck.org, the percentage of those arrested by ICE who have criminal convictions fell from 44.7% in Trump's first three months to 31.8% in the three months ending in mid-October. The organization's January analysis found that while the administration says they are arresting the "worst of the worst" criminals, "only a small fraction of those detained by ICE have been convicted of the type of violent felony offenses often cited by the administration."

Next Steps

The three lawmakers said they will not support funding for ICE when Congress returns next week to work on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has led to a partial government shutdown.

ICE has yet to comment on the visit beyond the initial written statement.