Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking to lease 25 new parking spaces in Las Vegas according to a federal notice, potentially hinting at further plans to expand the agency's footprint in the city.

The notice, posted in late July with the ID "DHS-ICESurgeParking," seeks to identify suitable parking spaces in the vicinity of existing or planned ICE facilities in 14 cities. The notice solicits spaces with a leasing term of between three to five years, contiguous parking spaces and a location within each city's central business district.

But ICE did not immediately respond to a question about whether the parking spaces would serve a preexisting ICE office, or if the agency is considering opening a new facility — such as a detention center — in the city. Las Vegas already operates a local field office downtown, but its main detention centers are in Pahrump and Henderson. In comparison to other states with high immigrant populations, the agency's operations have been minimal in Nevada. 

Out of the 14 cities listed in the notice, Las Vegas has among the fewest solicited spaces. In comparison, ICE is seeking about 250 spaces in Englewood, Colorado, and 249 spaces in Boston. Responses from entities interested in providing parking are due Friday.

The notice clarifies that it is "solely for market research and information-gathering purposes" and is not a formal bidding request. 

Jace Radke, a spokesperson for the City of Las Vegas, said they did not know about the notice. 

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom told The Indy he was not aware of the notice but "we don't need or want an ICE facility."

The posting comes as ICE arrests have reportedly surged across the country. The New York Times reported in early July that the agency made more than 10,000 arrests during a five-day period in June. That's a jump from the 1,000 picked up each day earlier this year as arrests continue to climb, albeit with less fanfare than before. ICE has also made two known arrests at the Las Vegas Harry Reid Airport in the last month as part of a wider national crackdown at airports.