ICE Unveils $38.3B Plan to Turn Warehouses Into Massive Migrant Detention Hubs
ICE is moving forward with a $38.3 billion plan to acquire and retrofit warehouse-style buildings across the U.S. into new immigrant detention centers, according to internal agency documents released recently.
The strategy, funded under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed by Congress, signals the most significant expansion of federal detention capacity in years. It comes as the agency anticipates a surge in arrests tied to increased hiring and a broader enforcement push.
Documents posted on the New Hampshire governor’s website outline that ICE plans to buy 16 buildings to operate as regional processing centers holding roughly 1,000–1,500 people each. In addition, eight larger facilities designed to hold between 7,000 and 10,000 detainees are slated to become “primary” hubs for removals.
The expanded detention footprint could yield roughly 92,600 beds nationwide, according to the document overview. ICE officials say this new model will reduce dependence on privately contracted facilities and enhance operational control.
DHS has said the facilities must adhere to federal detention standards and support “safe and humane” detention, but some state and local leaders say communications about the project were limited or unclear.
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“The documents offer the most complete picture to date of the plan,” The Washington Post wrote.
The initiative comes amid broader political debate over immigration enforcement, and raises questions about cost, community impacts, and the future of detention policy.
Officials have not disclosed a full list of sites or exact construction timelines, and opposition from local leaders could delay or reshape parts of the buildout. What happens next will likely depend on local negotiations and federal funding allocations.
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