Hotel In Scottsdale To Temporarily House Immigrant Families

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A federal contractor has begun operating a temporary hotel facility for immigrant families in Scottsdale, city officials announced Tuesday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement notified the city about the immigration housing plans on Friday.

According to ICE officials, the hotel, which began operating Saturday, is for intact families seeking political asylum.

As they are processed and given temporary shelter, they are ultimately taken to transportation so they continue their journey to a sponsor family or organization. The vast majority of people travel outside Arizona after processing, according to ICE.

“The families that come into ICE custody will be housed in a manner consistent with legal requirements for the safety and well-being of children and their parents or guardians. Custody is intended to be short term, generally less than 72 hours, to allow for immigration enforcement processing and establishing appropriate terms and conditions of release while their immigration proceedings continue. All families will be tested for COVID-19 and receive a health assessment at these Emergency Family Staging Centers," read a statement from ICE.

Because immigration is a federal matter, city officials stressed that Scottsdale has no responsibility or oversight. City officials have advised residents to contact their federal government representatives should they have any concerns.

"Scottsdale has no current authority to prevent the hotel from being rented for these immigrant families," city officials said in a news release. "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the contractor who will operate the facility have provided assurances that they will be able to address any operational concerns that may arise."

City officials did not say where the hotel is located.