ICE drafts warehouse network to detain 80,000 immigrants: Report
The Trump administration is considering a sweeping expansion of immigration detention, one that would convert large industrial warehouses into massive holding facilities for migrants awaiting deportation. According to internal planning documents reviewed by The Washington Post, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drafted a proposal to build a nationwide detention network capable of holding more than 80,000 people at once.
The plan centers on a hub-and-spoke model: migrants would be processed at smaller sites, then transferred to one of several large “mega-facilities” designed to speed removals.
The draft reflects the administration’s push to scale up detention and deportation operations. Agency data cited by the Post shows ICE was holding more than 68,000 people at the start of this month, the highest level on record. Nearly half of those detainees, about 48%, have no criminal convictions or pending charges.
NBC News previously reported that warehouse-style detention centers were being explored as the next phase of the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
How the plan would work
The proposal outlines what it calls a “deliberate feeder system.” Detainees would spend several weeks at initial processing sites before being transferred to one of seven large regional hubs, some capable of holding up to 10,000 people.
Proposed locations include Stafford, Virginia (up to 10,000 beds), Hutchins, Texas (up to 9,500), and Hammond, Indiana (up to 9,000), along with facilities in Arizona, Georgia and Missouri.
ICE says the system is intended to “maximize efficiency, minimize costs, shorten processing times, limit lengths of stay, accelerate the removal process and promote the safety, dignity and respect for all in ICE custody.”
To make the warehouses usable, the plan calls for extensive retrofitting — adding housing areas with showers and restrooms, kitchen and dining halls, medical units, law libraries, recreation spaces, intake areas, and administrative offices. Some facilities would include designated housing for families.
Bloomberg reports that procurement records show ICE has already awarded $30 million for “due diligence services and concept design” to a company with no prior federal contracting history.
Under federal rules, agencies must justify any decision to bypass competitive bidding.
Questions and early pushback
The plan remains a draft and is subject to change. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told the Post she could not confirm the proposal, noting that ICE plans to circulate it to private detention companies to assess interest before issuing a formal request for bids.
The documents also list nine existing detention centers that would remain operational, though they do not specify whether other facilities would close.
Local officials and industry experts have raised concerns about converting warehouses into detention sites, citing ventilation, temperature control, plumbing, and sanitation challenges. In Stafford, Virginia, local supervisor Pamela Yeung told the Post in a statement that any such facility would need to comply with zoning and building codes and could strain infrastructure, public safety and social services.
Immigrant advocates have criticized the proposal as dehumanizing. Former ICE chief of staff Jason Houser warned that staffing facilities of this size would be difficult, noting that employees require specialized training and security clearances.
What comes next
While the draft does not include a firm launch date, it sets an aggressive timeline: facilities could be expected to begin accepting detainees 30 to 60 days after construction starts.
Key elements of the plan could change following feedback from contractors, local governments, and community groups.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
