Federal law enforcement seeks to expand in Spokane, Boise and other liberal cities to support ‘administration’s goal’
Federal law enforcement is looking to further its reach in Spokane, Boise and other cities that lean democratic to further the Trump administration’s goals.
A Sept. 16 competitive lease proposal request from the U.S. General Services Administration asks property companies to apply to lease a fully furnished office space above ground level with 70 desks, a conference room, a storage room, a 24/7 server room and sound privacy for “confidential discussions.” It discourages any agencies or tenants that could have “security, operational or reputational conflicts” with federal law enforcement.
A GSA spokesperson did not disclose which federal law enforcement agency would be occupying the potential space, but the move is “focused on supporting this administration’s goal of optimizing the federal footprint,” and “providing the best workplaces for our federal agencies to meet their mission,” the spokesperson said.
The request asks for space in 21 cities including Spokane and Boise. The others include Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; St. Louis, Missouri; and the Florida cities of Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Sunrise, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Naples.
In 20 of those cities, including Spokane, a majority of voters cast a ballot for Kamala Harris in the 2024 general election. The sole exception was Naples, Florida.
The government’s request also asks for a 10-year lease for federal law enforcement administrative duties. It does not specify the location for the building, but requests the building be “within the entire city limits” of Spokane.
Currently, the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement office in Spokane is at 411 W. Cataldo Avenue and a majority of its federal operations reside in the Thomas S. Foley U.S. Courthouse at 920 W. Riverside Ave.
The request for more federal law enforcement work space mirrors the Trump administration’s moves to increase the presence and operations of ICE, which is set to receive $76.5 billion to hire 10,000 more staff by the end of the year to meet its immigration deportation goal and enticing people with a $50,000 signing bonus, although not without government messaging from “Uncle Sam.”
“America has been invaded by criminals and predators,” ICE says on its website, with a photo of Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer. “We need YOU to get them out.”
At the same time, the government is running ads over cable TV to persuade local law enforcement in “sanctuary cities,” or cities that generally dissuade local police from enforcing immigration law, to join ICE. Recent ads refer to purported arrestees as the “dangerous illegals that walk free” and “the worst of the worst.”
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.