U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering expanding its detention capacity by looking at 14 potential locations, including facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands and potentially Guantanamo Bay, according to internal documents. This move comes as the agency faces overcrowding issues in its existing facilities, fueled by a recent increase in detainee numbers.
ICE is currently holding over 60,000 individuals, a figure that has strained its current infrastructure. Reports from some of these facilities over the past year have highlighted significant problems, such as a measles outbreak, the distribution of expired food, malfunctioning air conditioning systems, and instances of medical negligence.
Legal Challenges and Construction Plans
Recent legal actions have also impacted ICE's detention operations. In April, a federal judge halted the construction of a planned immigration detention center in Williamsport, Maryland, due to concerns over inadequate sewage systems. Similar lawsuits are underway in Arizona, New Jersey, and Michigan. In response to these challenges, ICE has initiated the process to sell or transfer ownership of seven warehouses, as reported by The New York Times.
The agency's request for proposals for new or expanded facilities outlines a standardized construction plan. This plan includes the development of one-story buildings, each designed with 26 detention cells. Interior security cameras are specified for each cell. Detainees in these 26 cells would share three communal shower facilities.
The estimated cost for each expansion building ranges from $24 million to $40 million, with a total spending cap set at $10 billion for all facility expansions.
This push for increased detention capacity occurs as the Trump administration intensifies its focus on arrests and deportations. Documents indicate that ICE is exploring these options across 14 different sites to accommodate the growing detainee population.