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

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at 630 Sansome St. in San Francisco has come under scrutiny as mass arrests and prolonged detentions of asylum-seekers escalate. The building's history with immigration enforcement dates back to the late 1940s when nearly 4,000 Chinese women were detained there, including Leong Bick Ha, who tragically took her own life in 1948 after being denied asylum. Nofil notes that the building's unassuming nature allowed the public to remain largely unaware of the detention practices within its walls. The San Francisco Chronicle described the detention conditions as “prison-like,” highlighting a consistent pattern of harsh treatment.

Notably, the building has a history of detaining individuals for extended periods, including a Russian family for over 14 months. Nofil argues that this practice of using office spaces for detention began at 630 Sansome, marking a significant shift in immigration enforcement. Public awareness was briefly raised when a detainee crawled onto a ledge in 1948, attracting thousands of onlookers. This incident revealed the hidden nature of immigration detention to many San Franciscans for the first time.