AURORA, Colo. -- Aurora’s Planning and Zoning Commission gave unanimous approval Wednesday to a plan to expand an immigrant detention facility.

The Florida-based Geo Company petitioned to add more than 200,000 square feet and 1,100 more beds on a 17-acre site near its existing facility at 30th Avenue and Peoria Street in Aurora.

Currently with 400 beds, the private company owns and manages the Aurora ICE Processing Center under a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The 6-0 vote came after opponents carried signs and rallied outside the Aurora Municipal Center.

Members of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition chanted, “people not profits, justice not abuse,” before the meeting.

“This is not about a building, this is about building community,” Emily Parkey, from the group Rights For All People, said over a loudspeaker.

Later, as the hearing got underway, a company executive explained the facility would create jobs.

“Our employee head count would go from 144 jobs to 350 jobs with the expansion,” said George Zoley, CEO of Geo.

Commissioners then invited public comment with regular reminders the discussion was to center on land use criteria such as architecture and landscaping, not immigration policy.

Citizen comment appeared to be mixed with people on either side of the issue speaking out.

“The plan is bad for Aurora, it does not fit into the Comprehensive Plan,” said Amber Tafoya, who opposed the expansion.

Loretta Wilborn expressed concern for how inmates are treated and said, “All (Geo) is concerned about is money, not people.”

Zoley told commissioners the facility is fully accredited and most recently earned a 99.4% rating for meeting national professional standards.

A handful of neighbors turned out in support of the project.

“With the millions of illegal immigrants, we need the additional facilities,” said Earl Pierce. “It’s too bad we need them but Geo is doing a great job,” Pierce added.

After nearly 3 hours of testimony, commissioners approved the site plan. Chair Bradley Dodds initially announced the vote as 5 to 1 with Commissioner Dexter Harding voting in opposition. The clerk later clarified the actual vote was 6-0 and said Harding had originally voted in error.

Following the vote, Zoley told 7NEWS the current facility often is over capacity and expected the current ICE contract to be expanded to the additional space and beds.

“We believe with increased enforcement on the border and the interior of the country, there is a need by (ICE, U.S. Marshalls, and Bureau of Prisons) for more detention beds, Zoley said.

Julien Ross, Director of Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, told 7NEWS group members had no plans of stopping and planned to reach out to the Aurora City Council and others in hopes of appealing the P and Z ruling.