Arizona’s three Democratic members of the U.S. House are pressing security contractor GardaWorld for details about a reported $1.2 billion federal contract to expand immigration detention facilities in Florence, as well as the company’s separate role in a proposed detention center in Surprise. Reps. Greg Stanton, Yassamin Ansari and Adelita Grijalva sent a letter Oct. 6 to GardaWorld Federal Services President Pete Dordal Jr. The lawmakers said the Florence contract was reportedly awarded Sept. 20 by the Department of Homeland Security. They also renewed questions about the company’s contract to convert a warehouse in Surprise into an immigration detention facility, an issue they first raised in March. The lawmakers asked GardaWorld to identify the projects, facilities and task orders covered by the Florence contract and provide their costs. They also sought information about the company’s qualifications, who would oversee operations and whether it plans to hire subcontractors for construction, medical care, staffing or facility management. For the Surprise proposal, the letter asks what structural and building-code assessments have been conducted on the warehouse and what role GardaWorld has played in the project’s environmental review. The representatives also asked what consultations the company has held with local governments, the school district and public-safety agencies, and whether GardaWorld or DHS would pay for any added demand on emergency medical, fire and law-enforcement services. “Despite the significant scale of these projects and their potential impact on surrounding communities, local governments continue to learn about them only after contracts have been awarded,” the lawmakers wrote. “The communities surrounding the Surprise and Florence facilities deserve transparency.” Florence officials were not informed about the planned expansion or given additional information about the contract, according to a report by The Arizona Republic. The lawmakers’ questions reflect concerns about local oversight and whether communities will have the resources to handle potential effects of expanded detention operations. Ansari has previously visited the Florence Correctional Center and said detainees described instances of medical neglect. Haitian detainee Emmanuel Damas died earlier this year while in custody at the facility; reporting on his death said it followed dental problems.