Orange County commissioners oppose proposed ICE detention site in Orlando warehouse near SR 528 interchange

County resolution targets warehouse conversions for federal immigration processing or detention

Orange County commissioners voted unanimously on March 10, 2026, to approve a resolution opposing the conversion of industrial warehouses in unincorporated Orange County into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing or detention facility. The action followed weeks of public attention focused on a recently built warehouse in east Orlando that federal officials have evaluated as a potential site.

The facility that has drawn the most scrutiny is a warehouse at 8660 Transport Drive, south of State Road 528 near the Sunbridge Parkway interchange. Federal immigration officials toured the location earlier this year as the agency assessed options amid an increase in immigration detentions reported in Central Florida in January.

What the county can—and cannot—control

County leaders framed the resolution as a formal statement of opposition rather than a direct regulatory denial. Local government attorneys have previously advised that federal authority may limit the ability of local jurisdictions to block a federal detention center through zoning or other municipal controls, citing constitutional principles that restrict local interference with federal operations.

Commissioners used the resolution to document local concerns about compatibility with surrounding land uses and the broader impacts a detention operation could have on nearby communities. The measure also positions the county to respond if a federal lease or development proposal advances, including through public records requests, intergovernmental communications and legal review.

Context: Orange County’s existing cooperation framework with federal custody operations

The vote took place against the backdrop of Orange County’s ongoing relationship with federal detention and transport systems connected to immigration enforcement. In recent years, county jail operations have held immigration detainees under a framework tied to federal custody arrangements, a subject that has repeatedly prompted large public turnouts and competing demands for compliance and limits.

County leaders have also sought changes to reimbursement terms connected to federal detainee housing, arguing that local taxpayers should not absorb rising costs associated with increased detainee populations.

Public reaction and next milestones

Tuesday’s meeting again drew extensive public comment, with speakers urging the county to take stronger steps to prevent an immigration detention center from opening in the Orlando area and to reduce the county’s role in detention-related operations. Supporters of the resolution argued that a warehouse-based detention facility is incompatible with nearby development and undermines community trust; other residents emphasized that federal immigration enforcement is required and should proceed without local obstruction.

In the near term, the key outstanding question is whether ICE will move from site evaluation to a finalized lease or operational plan for the Transport Drive warehouse or another industrial property in Orange County. Any such step would likely trigger additional legal analysis, intergovernmental negotiations and renewed public hearings.

• March 10, 2026: Orange County approves resolution opposing warehouse conversion for an ICE processing or detention facility.
• January 2026: Federal officials toured a warehouse site in east Orlando as part of early-stage evaluation.
• Ongoing: County leaders pursue clarity on authority, obligations and financial impacts tied to federal detainee custody arrangements.

The resolution is a policy statement opposing the location of an ICE detention or processing operation in warehouses in unincorporated Orange County, amid uncertainty over the extent of local power to prevent a federally operated facility.