Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton and leaders of the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Tribes have issued a strong, unanimous opposition to the potential placement of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Durant.
The primary site under discussion is the former Big Lots Distribution Center, located at 2306 Enterprise Drive. Chief Batton cited 'extreme concern' regarding the site’s proximity to essential tribal services, noting it sits just 1,000 feet from the Choctaw Nation Child Development Center and is near a daycare, education centers, and the tribe’s main headquarters campus.
Unified Tribal Opposition During a quarterly session held in mid-January 2026, the Inter-Tribal Council, representing the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole Nations, voted unanimously on a resolution to block the facility. Tribal leaders argued that the project threatens tribal sovereignty and public safety while placing an undue strain on local infrastructure and healthcare systems.
