MERIDIAN, Idaho — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leasing office space in the Portico North building near St. Luke’s Meridian Campus, a spokesperson for St. Luke’s Health System confirmed Friday. The lease is being managed through the General Services Administration (GSA).
Christine Myron, St. Luke’s Public Relations & Communications, stated, “Our understanding, then and now, is that this location is not a processing facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
St. Luke’s has a history of leasing unused commercial space to federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Social Security Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to Myron. The Portico North building does not offer clinical patient care.
Idaho News 6 inquired with DHS regarding potential occupancy of the leased space by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A DHS spokesperson responded that the agency would not confirm office locations, citing a “coordinated campaign of violence” against its officers, including an 8,000% increase in death threats and a 1,300% increase in assaults. The spokesperson likewise pointed to a recent increase in ICE personnel, stating, “Thanks to the Massive Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That’s a 120% increase in our workforce.”
The GSA also issued a statement, saying it is “committed to working with all our partner agencies, including our patriotic law enforcement partners like ICE, to meet their workspace needs.” The GSA added it remains focused on supporting the administration’s goal of optimizing the federal presence and providing the best workplaces for federal agencies to fulfill their missions, while adhering to all applicable laws, and regulations.
City of Meridian officials and the Meridian Police Department confirmed they were not involved in the matter and had not received any permit applications, proposals, or re-zoning requests related to the building. They noted that the city generally would not be aware of private lease agreements unless they involved renovations or zoning changes.
The arrangement has drawn attention amid nationwide ICE expansion and recent enforcement actions in Idaho, including a joint ICE-FBI raid at a horse racing facility in Wilder last October.