ICE HQ in S.F.s Financial District has an 80-year history of detaining immigrants

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at 630 Sansome St. in San Francisco has a troubling history of detaining immigrants since its days as an INS headquarters starting in 1946. Leong Bick Ha’s suicide in 1948, after being denied asylum, underscores the emotional toll of such detentions. From 1946 to 1948, nearly 4,000 Chinese women were detained there, often in harsh conditions. Historian Brianna Nofil argues that the office’s discreet setting has allowed the practice to escape public scrutiny, an issue that continues today.

Dramatic incidents like Wong Loy’s ledge standoff in 1948 occasionally brought public attention to the building’s role as a detention center. Despite its unassuming appearance, the site has been pivotal in shaping immigration policy and practices in America. The building has housed various federal agencies, but its legacy remains tied to the detention of immigrants. This historical context raises concerns about ongoing immigration enforcement practices in the U. S.