Federal Judge Halts Construction of Planned ICE Detention Facility Near Gilroy, California

U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee (N.D. Cal.) granted a preliminary injunction late Friday, September 13, 2026, pausing construction of a planned ICE detention facility on a 24-acre site at 7240 Holsclaw Road near the Gilroy Premium Outlets in unincorporated Santa Clara County, California. The ruling followed a one-week temporary halt Lee had ordered after a September 8 hearing. The lawsuit, filed in June 2026 by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Santa Clara County — with an amicus brief from San Francisco and dozens of other California cities and counties — argued the federal government bypassed required environmental review and failed to consult state or local government before building on the site, a former agricultural research parcel with a history of pesticide testing. Santa Clara County General Counsel Tony LoPresti said the county did not need 'rock-solid evidence,' only to show 'likely impacts' requiring further analysis. The facility, as planned, would employ roughly 60 federal officers and hold approximately 150 immigrants in concrete holding rooms for up to 12 hours, expanding ICE's detention capacity in Northern California including for people arrested in San Francisco. A final ruling is not expected until October 2026.