ICE moving offices to S. Fort Myers

Posted: Jun 09, 2011 2:48 PM PDT Updated: Jun 09, 2011 3:30 PM PDT

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary office building. After the media began asking questions, the federal government finally revealed the building in south Fort Myers will house Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security offices.

The building on Salrose Lane will serve as the headquarters for the Fort Myers bureaus of the two agencies. It will include office space, two interview rooms and 85 holding cells.

ICE currently works out of the federal courthouse in downtown Fort Myers. It will move to the new building later this year.

Although the building will have holding cells, no one in custody will be kept in the building for more than 24 hours, according to ICE.

They will be moved to jails and detention centers instead.

When asked what types of criminals would be taken to the building, ICE said gang members, illegal immigrants and anyone arrested on a criminal charge that cannot prove their residency.

The following is the complete statement from ICE:

The new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Fort Myers will allow us to co-locate both major components of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) into a standalone ICE facility. The new building will also provide updated technology and additional office and meeting space for current and potentially new joint task forces with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, which ultimately enhances efforts to keep our community safe. Like any typical law enforcement building, this facility will have holding cells for people who are arrested by our agents and officers. However, those individuals will not be kept in the building overnight and instead will be moved to jails and detention centers equipped for that purpose.

ICE is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Our primary mission is to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration.

http://www.abc-7.com/Global/story.asp?S=14878052