Man speaking against data center arrested at Imperial County board meeting as tensions flare nationwide

Ismael Arvizu, 26, was arrested at an Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting after speaking out against a proposed 950,000-square-foot data center. Arvizu, who applauded a resident's threat to recall Board Chair Peggy Price, was charged with trespassing, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and threatening a public official, a claim he denies. The project, spearheaded by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, has been exempted from a state environmental review, a decision that has sparked significant community concern regarding health and environmental impacts, as well as demands on water and energy supplies. Residents, organized by groups like Not In My Backyard Imperial, contend the project benefits billionaires at the expense of local communities of color. Despite the intense opposition and the arrest, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved a lot merger for the data center site with a 4-1 vote. The incident reflects a nationwide trend of contentious public meetings over data center developments, often leading to arrests and threats, as communities grapple with the massive resource demands of AI-driven facilities.