Salt Lake City UT — ICE Mega Center (833,000 sq ft warehouse)
Overview
On March 12, 2026, ICE finalized a $145.4 million purchase of an 833,000 sq ft warehouse at 6020 W 300 S in Salt Lake City — in the Mountain View Industrial Park, west of Salt Lake City International Airport. Mayor Erin Mendenhall disclosed that ICE plans this as one of its eight “mega centers” with capacity for 7,500-10,000 people under the “hub and spoke” reengineering initiative.
The Purchase
- Price: $145.4 million
- Prior owner: Deutsche Bank through a series of subsidiaries
- Markup: More than 50% over estimated market valuation (~$50M in excess taxpayer cash to Deutsche Bank subsidiary, per More Perfect Union)
- Size: 833,000 sq ft on 25 acres
- Purchased through: A Delaware shell company (typical for federal purchases to avoid alerting sellers)
- Planned capacity: 7,500-10,000 beds (mega center designation)
Deutsche Bank Connections
- Cumulative $2.5 billion in loans to Trump over two decades
- Continued lending after Trump sued them for a defaulted loan
- Held approximately 40 Jeffrey Epstein accounts
- Germany-based multinational declined to comment on the sale
Community Response
March 18-19, 2026: Hundreds of protesters gathered at the warehouse chanting “ICE out!” Three arrested in clashes with Salt Lake police. Parallel protest at Governor’s Mansion.
March 25, 2026: Salt Lake City Council voted to restrict water use at the facility — following the Social Circle, Georgia model of using municipal utility control as a resistance tool.
March 30, 2026: Mayor Mendenhall vowed to “use every tool at the City’s disposal to stop it.”
Key Actors
- Mayor Erin Mendenhall — leading opposition, disclosed mega-center plans
- Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson — condemned the sale
- Democratic state lawmakers — humanitarian and logistical concerns