ICE Detention Warehouses Under Review After DHS Says Some Facilities ‘Probably Won’t Work’
The Department of Homeland Security is taking a second look at eleven warehouses purchased for possible use as immigration detention facilities, with Secretary Markwayne Mullin saying some of the properties may not be workable.
The warehouses were purchased under Mullin’s predecessor, former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, as part of a broader effort to expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention capacity. But the plan drew swift pushback from communities across the country once the purchases became public.
Mullin said the department is now reevaluating the facilities and suggested that some of the purchases may have moved forward without enough “due diligence.” PBS, citing Associated Press reporting, reported that federal officials are looking at ways to offload some of the warehouses after Mullin paused new purchases when he took office.
The warehouse plan was part of a larger federal push to expand immigration detention space amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. But the idea of converting large warehouse properties into detention centers sparked opposition from local officials, residents and immigrant-rights advocates.
Some communities raised concerns about infrastructure, public safety, zoning, transparency and the moral implications of housing large numbers of detained immigrants in warehouse-style facilities. The Wall Street Journal reported that DHS is scrapping plans to use seven warehouses as detention centers, noting concerns that some sites lacked basic needs such as zoning approvals and infrastructure.
San Antonio Raises Zoning Concerns Over Planned ICE Facility
The national review also carries local weight in San Antonio, where city officials have been pushing back on a planned ICE detention facility proposed for District 2.
In April, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ office began addressing zoning concerns tied to the facility, which is expected to be placed within San Antonio city limits. In an April 13 letter sent to economic development leaders, the mayor requested feedback on the city’s proposed draft ordinance related to zoning laws for non-municipal detention facilities.
“Zoning plays a critical role in shaping our city’s economic development, and I welcome your feedback as to how the proposed zoning changes affect, positively or negatively, economic development throughout our city,” the mayor wrote.
City Says Federal Officials Have Not Responded
San Antonio officials have also tried to contact federal leaders about the proposed facility. The city previously reached out to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem but did not receive a response.
Another letter was later sent to recently appointed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, asking the agency to reconsider relocating the proposed 640,000-square-foot facility. City officials said the community is not interested in the facility, but no response has been received.
The lack of response adds another layer to the issue as DHS now reevaluates warehouse purchases tied to ICE detention expansion nationwide.
In Georgia, residents and local leaders in Social Circle pushed back against a proposed ICE detention center that could have held thousands of detainees. The Guardian reported that local opposition appeared to help ward off the facility after officials raised concerns about the impact on the small town’s infrastructure and population size.
Related: ICE Quietly Purchases Warehouses Nationwide as Local Leaders Learn After the Fact
Mullin Paused New Purchases After Taking Office
Mullin, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, took over DHS after Noem’s tenure ended earlier this year. Shortly after entering office, he paused new warehouse purchases while federal officials reviewed contracts and plans tied to the detention expansion effort.
The warehouse purchases have also drawn scrutiny over cost and procurement. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the DHS inspector general launched a probe into the warehouse acquisition strategy connected to the detention expansion program.
For now, DHS appears to be shifting away from at least some of the warehouse conversions while looking for alternatives to meet detention demands. The reversal marks a significant pause in one of the more controversial pieces of the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
