The Department of Homeland Security is pursuing purchases of large warehouses for potential conversion into ICE detention centers, with internal records showing more than 20 possible sites and some facilities estimated to hold up to 8,000 detainees. ICE has already bought a 418,000 sq ft building near Surprise, Arizona for $70 million and a Philadelphia-area warehouse for $87.4 million. Lawmakers, community groups and contractors warn of staffing shortages, safety risks and infrastructure strain, while protests and legal fights over oversight are already underway.
DHS Moves To Convert Mega Warehouses Into ICE Detention Centers, Sparking Widespread Alarm
A demonstration outside a shuttered correctional facility that is reportedly under contract to become an ICE detention center in Hudson, Colo., last month. (Kevin Mohatt / Reuters)(Kevin Mohatt)
The Department of Homeland Security is moving to acquire large warehouse buildings for possible conversion into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers, a plan that has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, community members and contractors.
What DHS Is Proposing
According to a DHS spreadsheet verified by NBC News, the department has identified more than 20 potential locations; the raw square footage of some sites suggests they could hold as many as 8,000 detainees — roughly double the population of the largest federal prison, which houses about 4,000 inmates.
Properties Already Purchased
At least two properties have been acquired. ICE paid $70 million for a 418,000-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona — roughly the size of seven football fields — located in an industrial park. Surprise city officials said they were not notified of the sale. A separate warehouse near Philadelphia was purchased last month for $87.4 million and could be converted into a detention facility.
Community Reaction And Legal Concerns
Lawmakers, immigrant advocates and local residents in Colorado, Mississippi, Arizona and elsewhere have voiced opposition. Protests were reported in Hutchins, Texas; Democratic lawmakers criticized a proposed site in Roxbury, New Jersey; and advocates warned that a rural site in Hudson, Colorado, more than 30 miles from Denver, would make family and legal visits difficult because of limited public transit.
A large warehouse facility in Surprise, Ariz., that records show ICE recently purchased for $70 million. (Google Maps)(Google Maps)
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.): "I am all for immigration enforcement, but this site was meant for economic development and job creation. We cannot suddenly flood Byhalia with an influx of up to 10,000 detainees."
Wicker posted the comment on X along with a letter to the Department of Homeland Security expressing his opposition.
Operational And Safety Warnings
Companies seeking to operate the warehouses say contracts may require existing ties to the U.S. Navy or partnership with firms that do Navy work. Several government contractors told NBC News they have serious concerns: recruiting and training a workforce that could exceed 2,500 staff in rural communities would be extremely difficult; one proposed site could strain or deplete the town's water supply; and some contractors warned that facilities housing more than 1,500 detainees would pose significant safety risks.
Capacity estimates are based on raw square footage and could change once buildings are retrofitted for human habitation and security needs.
Context And Oversight
ICE currently houses more than 70,000 immigrants across 224 facilities. The only warehouse-style ICE facility in operation, at Fort Bliss, Texas, has faced serious problems: at least three detainees died over a 44-day period, and the medical examiner ruled one death a homicide. Members of Congress have demanded access to the site and sued to block policies that limited oversight; a judge recently ordered the Department of Homeland Security to allow lawmakers to make unannounced visits.
Critics say the warehouse plan raises urgent questions about transparency, infrastructure capacity, humane treatment, staffing and independent oversight. DHS and ICE did not immediately provide comment to NBC News.
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