ICE Expands Warehouse Detention Centers Across U.S.

Trump administration purchases industrial sites for immigration detention, drawing local opposition

Jan. 31, 2026 at 7:31am

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The Trump administration, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is pursuing plans to acquire and convert as many as 23 warehouse facilities into immigration detention centers across the United States. This effort could represent the largest expansion of immigration detention space in US history, but it is drawing opposition from residents and local officials in multiple communities.

Why it matters

The expansion of ICE detention centers in warehouse facilities raises concerns about the ability to provide adequate care and services to detainees, as well as the impact on local infrastructure and resources in smaller communities. The purchases are part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigration.

The details

ICE has already completed two warehouse purchases for a combined $172 million, while a proposed site in El Paso, Texas, could hold as many as 8,500 detainees if built as planned. The purchases cover only the buildings themselves, and ICE must still contract with private companies to retrofit the structures with living quarters, sanitation, dining areas, medical facilities, and security infrastructure before operations can begin. Public opposition has intensified as details emerge, with some proposed sales being withdrawn and local officials raising concerns about the ability of their communities to support such large detention centers.

  • In January 2026, more than 200 people protested a proposed ICE detention center in Hagerstown, Maryland.
  • The Trump administration has been pursuing the warehouse detention center expansion plan since taking office in 2017.

The players

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and operating detention centers for undocumented immigrants.

David Holt

The mayor of Oklahoma City, who said warehouse owners decided against selling or leasing to ICE following community concerns.

Emma Winger

The deputy legal director at the American Immigration Council, who questioned whether adequate care is feasible in large-scale detention facilities.

Chris Van Hollen

A U.S. Senator who addressed a crowd of protesters in Hagerstown, Maryland, calling the Trump administration's ICE detention operations "obscene, inhumane, and illegal."

Eric Taylor

The city manager of Social Circle, Georgia, who said the town does not have sufficient resources to support a proposed 8,500-bed ICE detention center.

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What they’re saying

“One of the most obscene, one of the most inhumane, one of the most illegal operations being carried out by this Trump Administration is what they're doing at the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. We do not want an ICE facility here in the state of Maryland.”

— Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Senator

“I suppose there's ways to build enough toilets and private places. But the various health needs of people in these facilities and ensuring that you even know who you're holding and who has vulnerabilities and who needs medication — it just seems impossible.”

— Emma Winger, Deputy Legal Director, American Immigration Council

What’s next

The proposed ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas, which could hold up to 8,500 detainees, is still under consideration and awaiting final approval.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's expansion of ICE detention centers in warehouse facilities across the U.S. has sparked widespread public opposition and raised concerns about the ability to provide adequate care and services to detainees, as well as the impact on local communities. This effort is part of the administration's broader crackdown on immigration, which continues to face legal and political challenges.