EVANSTON — Local residents concerned about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center proposed for Uinta County had another opportunity to share their concerns and ask questions during a Uinta County Say No event held on Saturday, March 17, at Evanston’s Beeman-Cashin building.

Evanston Mayor Kent Williams and Uinta County Commissioner Craig Welling both attended the event, along with about two dozen other individuals.

Local event organizers shared a brief film focusing on how detention of illegal immigrants impacts the families left behind, following which Antonio Serrano with Wyo Say No joined the meeting via video from Cheyenne. 

Serrano shared a video of an individual being detained by ICE agents in Cheyenne and said he wants people to understand the impacts on families when a breadwinner is detained.

“These are hard-working people trying to support themselves. They love Wyoming for the same reasons we all do,” he said. “When parents are taken, kids end up in foster care.” 

He said Management and Training Corporation (MTC), the company behind the Uinta County proposal, has a poor track record on human rights and has faced multiple lawsuits.

“These lawsuits don’t just fall on MTC, they fall on the county as well,” he warned.

He said Wyo Say No is actively organizing business and faith leaders across the state against the facility, including in Evanston. He also said he didn’t understand why anyone would be supportive of the proposed location for the immigration jail.

“I’ve been to Evanston and to the spot they’re talking about,” he said. “I don’t know why anyone would want to put such an ugly thing on such a beautiful place.” 

Following the videos and Serrano’s comments, attendees spoke to Williams and Welling directly about their concerns with the proposal. Welling began by saying commissioners were still committed to visiting an MTC facility, though they may be visiting a detention center in either New Mexico or Texas as opposed to a center in California as originally intended.

“Saundra Meyer (former Evanston city councilwoman and state legislator) suggested we visit one in a rural community more like ours,” he said. 

Serrano spoke up to encourage a surprise visit instead of a planned one.

“If they know you’re coming, you’re going to see the best of the best,” he said. “Surprise visits reveal the truth.” 

Longtime Evanston resident Lubia Olivas said she has visited families and worked as a translator in detention centers. Her voice was cracking as she fought to hold back tears.

“These people suffer,” she said, “and these are my people.”

She said it is very easy for people to pass judgment and ask why illegal immigrants don’t just become legal, but it is actually very difficult for people to enter or remain in the country legally.  Olivas continued saying she didn’t see the center as anything Evanston needs.

“There are unfilled jobs in Evanston now and we don’t need this. MTC doesn’t care about our community,” she said. “They will come here and destroy what we have created — a foundation for our children and a safe place for our kids.” 

Olivas said she has spent years working with local law enforcement to build trust with the Latino community in town.

“For a long time, the Latino community wouldn’t report any crime out of fear,” she said. “We worked really hard and our outstanding law enforcement worked really hard to build that trust. We’re going to have it crumble — we’re ripping it apart.” 

Local resident Andrew Mellor asked Welling and Williams to think about why Utah doesn’t want the center, which would be operated by MTC, a company already based in Utah.

“This proposal is like we’re picking up somebody else’s trash,” Mellor said. 

Another resident, Joice Mander, said she had done research on MTC and specifically into the type of jobs that would materialize if the facility were to be built.

“There’s really high turnover in these jobs, and the research doesn’t back up the claimed benefits or the wages,” she said. 

Welling said he has had conversations with people in the Latino community in Evanston who are supportive of the proposal.

“The mayor and I are not here in an adversarial situation,” he said. “We’re here to collect information and we appreciate the opportunity.”

The commissioner said people should keep in mind there are reasons immigration laws are in place.

“I love Hispanics, and my best friends are Hispanics,” he said. “Immigration laws are here for a purpose.”

Serrano countered and said many people are not aware that being in the country illegally is a civil, not a criminal offense, and that is why people in detention centers have fewer protections and rights.

Bridger Valley resident Barbara Roitz said she didn’t want the conversation to veer off topic by talking about federal immigration laws.

“We all know immigration laws are a mess,” she said, “but there’s nothing we here can do about those laws. There is something we can do about the heart and soul of our community.” 

Evanston attorney Tim Beppler said he cares about the community, which is approximately 10 percent Latino.

“We’re disrespecting that part of our community by even considering this,” Beppler said. “It took courage for you to come here today, and I appreciate it. I urge you to take time to go visit the Latino community here in Evanston.” 

Beppler also said he was concerned commissioners were going to be asked to sign an inter-governmental agreement with ICE for the facility and Uinta County would then be left “high and dry” if things did not go well.

Welling replied, “I’m very confident the county won’t be left on the hook for any money.” 

Mayor Williams said the proposal is “far from a done deal,” and said the decision is ultimately up to the county commissioners since the proposed location is outside of Evanston city limits. 

Eric Mander asked Commissioner Welling if there was any way concerned citizens could visit a detention center to see for themselves what it’s like.

Welling said, “I don’t have the authority to get you into one of these prisons,” at which point Barbara Roitz interrupted and asked, “So you admit it’s a prison?” 

Barbara’s husband, Pete Roitz, said he didn’t want to see this turn into an adversarial situation. “I was born and raised here and it’s an embarrassment to even be having this conversation,” he said.” We’re turning our backs on our humanity for a few bucks.” 

Welling addressed education and employment.

“I hesitate to say this, but I will,” he said. “We have an issue in this county of diminishing talent and an educated workforce. Many of us are getting older and young people leave because they can’t find work.”

Welling said he wasn’t necessarily connecting these comments to the detention center, but there is a lot of community concern about people finding jobs.

Pete Roitz said it would be far better for the community to come together and find a way to fund and build a trade school. Evanston resident Rebecca Young added, “Kids aren’t going to stay here to work at this prison anyway.” 

Colleen Kunz asked Welling if the community was going to have an opportunity to meet with representatives of MTC to ask questions. “The community has a right to ask them questions before any decision is made,” she said.

Welling replied, “That’s fair. We can do that.” 

Olivas again stressed she doesn’t believe this proposal would be helpful for the community. “There is lots of money to lose when people leave because of this,” she said. “My aunt was here visiting at Christmas. She said this place reminded her of a Hallmark movie and it’s beautiful. Our community we’ve built is beautiful.”