Mesa-Gateway Airport
Coverage of Mesa-Gateway Airport in the Nexus archive.
- DHS says Democrats are lying about overcrowding and broken toilets at the Mesa ICE facility
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.
- Overflowing toilets, no medical care: Democrats call Mesa ICE facility a ‘public health issue’
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.
- Stanton, Ansari and Grijalva demand ICE answer for pepper-spraying 47 overcrowded detainees
Three Democratic members of Congress are demanding answers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the pepper-spraying of 47 detainees at an Arizona facility. The incident occurred in an overcrowded holding room at the Arizona Removal and Operations Coordination Center (AROCC), which has faced criticism for exceeding capacity and unsafe practices. The lawmakers cited concerns about transparency and the use of force in ICE detention facilities.