New ICE Office Opening in Flagstaff Divides Northern Arizona Residents

Federal Immigration Presence Arrives in Northern Arizona Community

FLAGSTAFF — A new Immigration and Customs Enforcement office is opening in Flagstaff, prompting divided reactions from residents and calls for transparency from city officials.

On April 9, the City of Flagstaff and its Police Department confirmed that ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations division signed a lease for office space at 1585 S. Plaza Way. The offices will occupy suites 150 and 160, located approximately a mile west of the Northern Arizona University campus.

The lease announcement has sparked concern among community members who fear the impact of increased federal immigration enforcement in northern Arizona. Maria Castillo Rincon, a member of Keep Flagstaff Together, organized community outreach to distribute information packets about immigration enforcement.

"People that have protested back in the East, you know, they have been taken, they have been arrested, they have been hurt," Rincon said. "Our immigrant community doesn't want to do that. They're afraid."

Keep Flagstaff Together has been active since 2017, organizing in response to immigration policies during Donald Trump's first term. Rincon has received numerous false tips about ICE raids in the city and regularly communicates with the Flagstaff chief of police to verify the legitimacy of such reports.

The uncertainty has taken a psychological toll on the immigrant community, according to Rincon.

"People that have protested back in the East, you know, they have been taken, they have been arrested, they have been hurt, and our immigrant community doesn't want to do that. They're afraid."

Divided Community Reaction

Not all Flagstaff residents share the concerns. Neila Cretti, a 37-year Flagstaff resident, welcomed the prospect of an ICE office in the area.

"I have watched our Police Department being eroded, in the sense of we are so underfunded, undermanned here," Cretti said. "They can't keep up with the influx of people that have come into Flagstaff."

Cretti, who lives on a street with two sheriff's deputies and a Flagstaff police officer, believes the additional law enforcement presence would help with crime prevention.

"I think it just makes sense. They're just another branch of law enforcement there to serve and protect the community," Cretti said. "And if there's criminals harming the community, I don't understand why they would not partner up."

Laura Carter, chair of the Coconino County Democrats, expressed concerns about the impact on tourism and community feeling.

"We don't have a problem with illegal immigration creating havoc and crime in our city," Carter said. "It is not an issue and to any extent that it is, our local enforcement agencies can take care of that. We have a really good, strong Police Department. We have the county sheriff and his whole department. We are not at risk."

Carter also raised concerns about the use of taxpayer money and suggested that other community priorities like housing, education, water, and wildfire management deserve greater attention.

"We don't want a community where children don't want to go to school because they're afraid they'll come home to an empty house," Carter said. "This threat of a presence has already gotten the community riled up."

Adam Pruzhanovsky, a sophomore political science student at Northern Arizona University, echoed concerns about the impact on campus and the broader community.

"People are going to feel unsafe," Pruzhanovsky said.

City Officials Call for Transparency

City officials have emphasized that no requests have been made to use city-owned property for ICE operations. The property being leased is privately owned.

The City of Flagstaff released a statement saying that "no request has been made for the use of City property for any ICE-related operations."

City Hall sits in the center of downtown Flagstaff. The city released a statement that ICE cannot use city property without approval.

The city has contacted federal agencies to learn about the agency's plans and has requested that ICE share accurate and timely information directly with the public.

"Flagstaff is a community built on strong relationships, and we expect cooperation, transparency and open communication from our federal government as this situation develops," the city said in a press release.

The city manager will review any request under a recently established directive governing the use of city property.

ICE has not yet publicly detailed how many employees will be based at the Plaza Way location or when the office will be fully operational. The agency's Arizona outreach can be reached at Phoenix.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov.

ICE operations are relatively common in Phoenix and other parts of the state but rare in Flagstaff. Since the start of Donald Trump's second term, Rincon has received numerous false tips about ICE raids in the city.

The announcement comes as other Arizona cities have experienced similar developments. Phoenix and Tucson have seen ICE operations, including visits from former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The expansion of DHS facilities in Marana and Surprise has led to protests by some residents, while others have supported the arrival of ICE in their towns.

Local law enforcement and government officials in Flagstaff have assured residents that they are not currently working with ICE. The Coconino County Sheriff's Department and the Flagstaff Police Department both are not currently working with ICE.

The new office is located less than a mile west of the Northern Arizona University campus, bringing concerns to students about campus safety and potential impacts on enrollment.