Demonstrators protest outside small ICE facility in Ogden they say is getting increased use

OGDEN — For nearly 26 years, federal immigration officials have quietly worked out of a nondescript office in an industrial area of west Ogden, periodically processing immigrants through the facility.

According to digging by a loose coalition of people in the Ogden area formed to monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, around 150 immigrants were processed through the office between 2000, when it opened, and the end of 2024, nearly 25 years. Since then, the numbers have spiked, totaling 457 over just the 10-month period from Jan. 1, 2025, through Oct. 31 that year, said Josh Kreeck, who helped crunch the numbers for the coalition.

That coincides with the launch of the crackdown on illegal immigration by President Donald Trump, and it's got him and others involved in the effort, members of a pair of groups called Ogden ICE Watch and Ogden United, worried. They oppose the aggressive approach immigration officials are taking and charge that immigrants without serious criminal backgrounds or no criminal backgrounds are being rounded up. Accordingly, they want the public to know ICE's presence in the Ogden area is perhaps larger than may meet the eye.

Kreeck has put his focus on the Ogden office, tapping data from the Deportation Data Project, which gathers and distributes U.S. government immigration data. But he thinks there may be similar ICE offices operating elsewhere in Utah.

"Our purpose is to try and make people aware that people are being processed in an industrial area, and if that isn't bad enough, they're being processed in the middle of the night," said David Belnap, protesting with about 15 others outside the site at 2487 S. 1620 West on Friday. "So people are being brought in here. There's no lights. They have no idea where they're going. They're already terrified."

Belnap, among others, has regularly stood vigil outside the site since learning of it last January to keep tabs on activity at the location. He took pictures on one occasion of apparent immigrants, in shackles, being walked into the office. The photos, with the men's heads blurred, were on display at the demonstration.

"I want the city to know that we're watching and that we will continue to pressure them to keep eyes on what ICE is doing in our community," said Kim Haslam, who also took part in Friday's protest. "What's wrong is the way they're treating immigrants and racially profiling people."

The main purpose of Friday's demonstration may have been to draw public attention to the ICE office. ICE didn't respond to queries seeking comment, but based on Kreeck's research, it serves as a facility to process and temporarily hold immigrants detained by authorities. However, the demonstrators also charge that ICE has violated terms of the conditional use permit Ogden leaders granted immigration officials back in June 2000 to operate at the location, something city officials dispute.

Immigration officials are operating outside hours outlined in the agreement, Kreeck charges, and they've kept detainees at the location overnight on 18 occasions, something that's not supposed to happen. While allied with Friday's protestors, Kreeck didn't take part in Friday's demonstration.

Ogden officials have received inquiries about the Ogden office, said Mike McBride, spokesman for Mayor Ben Nadolski, but haven't found anything to substantiate the charges ICE is violating the conditional use permit.

"We've talked to the local office supervisor about current operations at the facility — all of which fall within requirements of the conditional use permit. No one is staying overnight at the facility. Rather, all overnight ICE detainees are housed at local jails," McBride said in a statement.

A city statement further noted that federal agencies operate with a measure of autonomy from local rules and restrictions. "Courts have consistently held that local zoning ordinances cannot materially interfere with federal functions," it reads.

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Still, the city will take action, if merited. "We understand that this issue raises strong feelings in our community. If credible evidence of violations of the conditional use permit or applicable safety standards is brought forward, the city will review that information carefully and take appropriate action consistent with the law," reads the statement.

Friday's demonstration unfolded in relative calm, the demonstrators standing on the side of the road and a grassy area outside the building housing the ICE office. They plan to attend next Tuesday's Ogden City Council meeting to bring up their concerns during the public comment portion of the gathering.

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