ICE to spend $38bn turning warehouses into detention centers, documents show

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Lucy Campbell and Marina DunbarFebruary 13, 2026 at 09:00 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Documents reveal that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend $38.3 billion to convert warehouses into immigration detention centers across the US. The plan, funded by congressional appropriations, aims to create 16 regional processing centers holding 1,000-1,500 people each, and eight larger detention centers housing 7,000-10,000 people. Detainees would spend a short time at processing sites before being moved to larger facilities for approximately 60 days before deportation. The initiative, expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2026, is driven by an increase in ICE hires and anticipated rise in arrests. The goal is to create a centralized network for detention and deportation, replacing the current system of transferring detainees based on bed availability.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Washington Post 40% Congress 40% Merrimack ×250% Trump administration 60% Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 60% New Hampshire ×260% United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 70% United States 80% Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ×690%

Keywords

immigration detention 90% ice 80% detention centers 70% us citizenship and immigration services 60% detention model 50% department of homeland security 50% mass deportations 40%