ICE Plans Detention Expansion With Deal to Design 'Mega Centers'

The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to dramatically expand its immigration detention capacity, potentially using up to two dozen warehouse “mega centers” across the country that could detain 5,000 or more people at the largest sites.

It’s the latest effort by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to rapidly increase its ability to detain immigrants after it received $45 billion from Congress for tens of thousands of new beds across the country. Initial plans included temporary tent structures, like one currently operating at the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas. But the rollout of additional camps has been slow, and existing sites have been plagued by allegations of poor conditions.