About two dozen people gathered Sunday in Concord to protest a potential immigration detention facility that could be located in the city.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been purchasing warehouses across the country with plans to convert them into detention centers and is considering a Concord site. According to The New York Times, the agency is seeking to acquire a warehouse that could hold up to 1,500 detainees. ICE has already purchased eight warehouses nationwide, with roughly a dozen more under consideration as it works to expand detention capacity to more than 90,000 beds.
However, uncertainty remains about the Concord location. A leasing agent for the building told WFAE they have not been contacted by ICE about a lease or purchase. City officials also said in a written statement Friday that they have not been contacted and are unaware of any plans for a detention facility.
The city added that ICE would not need municipal approval to purchase private property.
Protesters gathered at the intersection of Weddington Road and Belt Road in western Concord to voice concerns about the possibility of a detention center in the community.