Washington, D.C. – Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to sell or transfer seven warehouses it bought for more than $700 million as part of a now-scaled-back effort to expand migrant detention capacity, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.
ICE purchased 11 facilities for roughly $1 billion during President Donald Trump’s second term, aiming to convert industrial warehouses into large detention centers. The plan was promoted under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as a way to support mass deportations by sharply increasing detention space.
The Department of Homeland Security said it is now focused on using existing detention space through state and county partnerships rather than housing migrants in newly converted warehouses. The agency said people should be removed quickly rather than detained “at the taxpayer’s expense.”
The reversal raises questions about the original purchases, including whether the buildings were suitable for detention, had needed infrastructure, or could clear local and legal hurdles. Several communities opposed proposed facilities, citing water, sewer, zoning, and public-safety concerns.
ICE is still expected to move forward with four warehouse projects, though details remain unclear.
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