US Expands ICE Detention Capacity with Warehouse Purchases

Plans for 'mega centers' and jails in nearly two dozen communities spark protests over suitability and proximity to homes and schools.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:07pm

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Despite protests in small towns and cities across the US, the Trump administration is pushing ahead with the purchase of warehouses it plans to convert into immigration jails in what could be the largest expansion of such detention capacity in US history. The cost for acquiring two warehouses alone was $172 million, and a third in El Paso, Texas, could be among the largest jails of any kind in the country if completed as envisioned, with 8,500 beds.

Why it matters

The aggressive enforcement actions by ICE have ignited clashes with protesters and led to agents killing two US citizens, raising concerns about the suitability and proximity of the proposed detention centers to residential areas and schools.

The details

ICE plans to use as many as 23 warehouses for detaining thousands of immigrants arrested by federal agents in Minneapolis and other cities across the US. The deals mark the latest turn in the agency's efforts to expand its detention capacity, with the purchase of two warehouses costing $172 million and a third in El Paso, Texas, potentially becoming one of the largest jails in the country with 8,500 beds.

  • The Trump administration is currently pushing ahead with the warehouse purchases.
  • The cost for acquiring two warehouses alone was $172 million.

The players

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States, including the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants.

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The takeaway

The planned expansion of ICE detention centers through the purchase of warehouses has sparked protests in communities across the US, raising concerns about the suitability and proximity of these facilities to residential areas and schools, as well as the broader implications of the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement actions.