The Trump administration is drawing up plans to acquire and refurbish at least seven large industrial warehouses across the United States to serve as holding facilities for detained migrants, according to a new report. The proposal aims to create a more organised system for the administration's expansive deportation agenda.
A New "Feeder" System for Detentions
According to a draft solicitation proposal obtained by the Washington Post, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking to acquire warehouses capable of holding between 5,000 and 10,000 people each. These facilities would form part of a new "feeder" system designed to streamline the detention process.
Under this plan, newly arrested individuals would first be taken to processing centres before being transferred to one of the seven large-scale warehouses. This system is intended to stop the current practice of moving detainees across the country to wherever bed space is available, a process officials say is chaotic and inefficient.
Addressing Overcrowding and Capacity
The move comes as established immigration detention centres are reportedly at capacity. As of November, approximately 67,000 people were being held in such centres, according to Trace reports. The administration's push to deport large numbers of immigrants has created a logistical challenge in finding accommodation for those detained.
The warehouses under consideration, some initially built for retailers like Amazon, are said to be more than twice the size of typical ICE facilities. A White House official confirmed this to NBC News in November. The buildings would be renovated to include:
- Restrooms and showers
- Kitchens and dining areas
- Medical units
The draft solicitation argues that these renovated sites would "maximize efficiency" while lowering costs, processing times, and lengths of stay for detainees.
Proposed Locations and Political Support
The larger warehouses would be situated near logistical hubs in several states, including Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia. In addition, ICE plans to establish 16 smaller processing centres, each holding up to 1,500 people.
At least five of these new processing centres are slated for the Northeast, primarily in areas represented by Republican lawmakers who support President Trump's stringent immigration policies. The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for comment on the reported plans.
This report follows over a year of accounts detailing poor conditions in overcrowded detention facilities. The proposed warehouse plan represents a significant scaling-up of detention infrastructure as the administration seeks to systematise its immigration enforcement operations.
