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

The ICE office at 630 Sansome St. in San Francisco has remained a significant site of immigrant detention since its establishment as the headquarters for the Immigration and Naturalization Services in the late 1940s. Leong Bick Ha's tragic suicide in 1948 highlighted the grim conditions faced by detainees, who often endured lengthy separations from family and intense scrutiny over their immigration status. Over the years, the building has seen thousands of immigrants detained in its facilities, sometimes in secrecy, as officials worked to minimize public awareness of their actions. Historian Brianna Nofil argues that detaining individuals within office buildings effectively shields these practices from public scrutiny, allowing them to continue largely unnoticed.

Despite its original purpose as a federal office, 630 Sansome has consistently served immigration enforcement needs, with two floors dedicated to detention. High-profile incidents, such as Huang Lai's ledge-sitting protest in 1948, occasionally brought attention to the center, yet many remained unaware of the ongoing detentions. Recent mass arrests and protests have renewed focus on the building's controversial legacy. The historical context underscores the long-standing issues surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the United States.