ICE warehouse tracker: See where 'mega' detention centers are planned

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving ahead with a controversial effort to drastically expand its detention space by buying up warehouses nationwide and converting them into holding centers, though lawsuits and a government watchdog review of the purchases are slowing down the initiative.

According to internal documents, the agency plans to buy and retrofit 24 commercial warehouses, boosting its detention capacity to more than 92,000 beds.

The largest of the proposed facilities, which ICE has described as “mega-centers,” would hold 7,000 to 10,000 people at a time and will serve as the primary location for deportations. ICE also plans to buy 16 warehouses to convert into “processing centers," which would hold 1,500 detainees for an average of five to seven days, documents show.

As of May 29, the government has purchased at least 11 warehouses across the country, according to a USA TODAY analysis and the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. In another 11 communities where ICE has proposed detention centers, private developers or the federal government itself backed out of deals after pushback from residents and local officials.

In statements, ICE has said the sites will be "well-structured detention facilities" and will undergo "rigorous due diligence" to ensure there's no ill effects on local communities.

"Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space," the agency said in a statement.

Several of the largest facilities purchased by ICE – including warehouses in Georgia and Texas – cover more than 1 million square feet, about 17 times larger than a football field.

DHS reviews warehouse initiative started under Kristi Noem

Officials and residents alike have raised concerns about whether warehouses meant to hold commercial cargo can safely and humanely house people. Local officials, including Republicans, have said the facilities could overwhelm public sewage and water systems, especially in rural areas, and said they were not consulted about the projects before sales were completed.

ICE said it is complying with all federal regulations and has taken public infrastructure into account when surveying potential sites.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who replaced Kristi Noem in March, has taken a more cautious approach to the initiative than his predecessor, telling lawmakers that it's important that the government meet with local communities about the plans and investigate any potential adverse impacts.

Mullin's agency has said it is reviewing the warehouse initiative, as well as other plans that began under Noem.

"Being from small, rural Oklahoma, it’s a big impact, and the community should be visited with," Mullin said about the warehouses during his confirmation hearing in March.

Lawsuits pile up, DHS inspector general probes warehouse purchases

Internal documents show the agency plans to spend tens of millions of dollars building out the sites, adding recreational areas, dormitories, courtrooms and cafeterias, as well as religious spaces and medical facilities. The estimated cost of the initiative is $38.3 billion, according to ICE documents – money allocated last year through President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act.

ICE has already spent more than $1 billion buying warehouses, public records show; the government has shelled out more than $100 million for five individual properties. The commercial real estate firm CoStar found that the agency paid 11% to 13% above market rate for 10 warehouses, with some purchases as high as 30% above recent comparable deals.

The DHS's Office of the Inspector General in May announced it was launching a review of the purchases to determine whether the plans meet ICE's "operational need in a cost-effective manner." ICE has previously defended the acquisitions, saying the department is buying commercial space for “fair market value.”

Internal documents say the agency seeks to bring each of the planned facilities online by the end of November. But mounting legal challenges have already begun to set back the plans.

Officials in Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona and Michigan have filed lawsuits to stop DHS from using warehouses in their states as detention centers. In Maryland, a federal judge ordered a temporary halt of construction at a warehouse in Williamsport, saying it appears the government “likely failed” to comply with obligations under the Environmental Protection Policy Act.

The federal government has agreed to conduct environmental reviews of its plans in New Jersey, Maryland and Michigan, according to court filings.

Here are some local stories about ICE warehouse facilities from the USA TODAY Network:

Additional coverage:

This story will be updated periodically to reflect the latest status of the proposed detention centers.