Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center

Yagiz Doruk Hallac, a Turkish national granted United Nations Convention Against Torture protections in the U.S., was deported to the Central African Republic after an internal ICE policy change expedited third-country removals. Hallac, a member of the Alevi religious minority facing persecution in Turkey, was detained and flown to the CAR without prior legal objections being considered.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security accused two Arizona Democrats of lying about conditions at the Mesa ICE facility, denying claims of overcrowding and overflowing toilets despite data showing the facility regularly exceeds its 157-person capacity. ICE agents confirmed plumbing issues during a recent unannounced visit, while the Mesa Fire and Medical Department and airport authorities raised concerns about overcrowding and safety violations.

Members of Congress, including Reps. Greg Stanton and Yassamin Ansari, found overcrowded conditions and overflowing toilets at the Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center (AROCC) in Mesa during an unannounced visit. The facility, designed for 157 detainees, has held up to 777 people, with average stays increasing from 12 hours in 2025 to 36 hours in 2026. Detainees reported inadequate medical care and incidents like pepper spray use and a seizure.

A 911 call revealed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pepper-sprayed 47 detainees in an overcrowded room at the Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center (AROCC) in Mesa, Arizona, causing one detainee to seize. The facility, designed to hold up to 157 detainees, held 332 people the day of the incident, exceeding its capacity. ICE stated pepper spray was used to address disruptive behavior, and a detainee later experienced an asthma episode, which ICE claimed was unrelated to the spray.