Local Resistance Complicates ICE's Warehouse Detention Expansion

Trump supporters and others voice concerns over planned detention centers in their communities.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Department of Homeland Security's plans to purchase industrial warehouses and convert them into detention centers for immigrants are facing growing local resistance, even in communities that voted for President Trump. Residents and local officials in at least a dozen areas have voiced opposition to the facilities, citing concerns about public safety, protests, and the impact on children. The pushback is complicating the administration's efforts to expand detention capacity to accommodate its mass deportation agenda.

Why it matters

The local resistance highlights the challenges the Trump administration is facing in its push to ramp up immigration enforcement and detention, even in communities that supported the president's hardline policies. The concerns raised by residents, including some Trump voters, underscore the broader societal tensions around immigration and the potential for unintended consequences of the administration's approach.

The details

The Department of Homeland Security has plans to purchase more than a dozen industrial warehouses across the country and convert them into detention centers that could hold up to 8,500 immigrants each. However, local officials and residents in places like Surprise, Arizona; Hagerstown, Maryland; and Social Circle, Georgia have voiced strong opposition to the facilities. They cite worries about public safety, the potential for protests, and the impact on children who may see 'people in shackles' near their schools and community spaces.

  • Last month, the federal government bought a warehouse next to a cheerleading gym in Surprise, Arizona.
  • The administration plans to convert the warehouses into detention centers for up to 1,500 immigrants.

The players

Stacy Bradley

The co-owner of Woodlands Elite Cheer in Surprise, Arizona, who voted for President Trump but is unsettled by the plan to build a detention center next to her cheerleading gym.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that is planning to purchase the industrial warehouses and convert them into detention centers for immigrants.

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What they’re saying

“That's a scary thing for a little kid to process.”

— Stacy Bradley, Co-owner, Woodlands Elite Cheer (The New York Times)

What’s next

Local officials and residents are expected to continue voicing their opposition to the planned detention centers, potentially complicating the administration's efforts to expand immigration enforcement and detention capacity.

The takeaway

The local resistance to ICE's warehouse detention expansion plans, even in Trump-supporting communities, highlights the broader societal tensions around immigration policy and the potential for unintended consequences of the administration's hardline approach.