Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reportedly considering a new legal office in downtown Jacksonville, with federal leasing records indicating interest in One Enterprise Center, the 225 Water Street tower on the Northbank. The potential move comes amid ICE’s broader expansion, and local property managers and advocates are raising questions about how a downtown office could impact courts and immigrant communities.
Federal Records Point To Nationwide ICE Push
According to WIRED, federal records show more than 150 leases and expansions that would plant new ICE facilities in nearly every state, and the reporting says the agency asked the General Services Administration to accelerate and at times conceal leasing work. The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor told GSA it planned to hire roughly 1,000 attorneys and needed space quickly, and WIRED notes that many of the planned offices sit near schools, places of worship and medical clinics. The account frames the moves as part of a fast, nationwide push that followed a large post‑2025 hiring allocation.
One Enterprise Center Named, But Managers Say No Deal Yet
A national report identified One Enterprise Center at 225 Water Street as a possible Office of the Principal Legal Advisor field location, which would be Jacksonville’s first if the plan becomes final. Local reporting says the building’s leasing broker told the Jacksonville Business Journal they were unaware of any signed lease, and ICE has not publicly confirmed the location.
As reported by News4JAX, other local outlets have also picked up the story, including First Coast News. The building’s listing pages show 225 Water St as the property’s address, and One Enterprise Center lists leasing contacts and details for the downtown tower.
Legal Implications
The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor is ICE’s legal arm and, according to the agency, “serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in immigration removal proceedings.” ICE says OPLA litigates removal cases and provides legal support across the agency, and a new local OPLA presence would put prosecutors and support staff closer to Jacksonville’s immigration courts. That proximity could change logistics around filings and hearings, although the size of any impact would depend on how many attorneys and staff are ultimately assigned to the site.
What Happens Next
For now, the One Enterprise Center listing appears to be a potential site rather than a completed lease, and local brokers say no signed deal has been announced. WIRED’s reporting indicates GSA was asked to use an “unusual or compelling urgency” justification to speed leases tied to ICE’s hiring surge, a process that can shorten public notice and move spaces into occupancy quickly. City residents, legal-aid groups and tenant organizations are likely to watch for formal filings or a confirmation from the property manager or GSA that would make the plan official.
