ICE Pushes for More Detention Space as Immigration Crackdown Grows

Dive Right Into

Key Takeaways

ICE plans to expand detention facilities in eight states, targeting 41,500 daily detainees, supported by $3.4 billion allocated for 2024.
Detention sites include the California City Correctional Center, North Lake Correctional Facility, and South Texas Family Residential Center.
Policy changes include expedited removals, sensitive location raids, and suspended refugee programs, increasing fears among immigrant communities.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced plans to expand its detention capacity across several states as part of a broader effort to intensify immigration enforcement under the Trump administration’s second term. This step aligns with President Trump’s push for stricter immigration policies, with a target of deporting approximately 1 million unauthorized immigrants annually—a significant rise from current figures. This development could have far-reaching consequences for immigrants, communities, and the immigration system as a whole.

Expansion Plans and Details

ICE Pushes for More Detention Space as Immigration Crackdown Grows

According to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in September 2024, ICE is seeking to increase detention space in eight states: California 🇺🇸, Kansas 🇺🇸, Michigan 🇺🇸, Nevada 🇺🇸, New Jersey 🇺🇸, New Mexico 🇺🇸, Texas 🇺🇸, and Washington 🇺🇸. These states have been identified as key locations for expanded detention facilities, either through the construction of new facilities or reopening of existing ones.

Several specific facilities are being considered for this expansion, including:
– North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan, which was initially a federal prison and closed in 2022.
– Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo, Texas.
– Carrizo Springs Tent Facility in Texas, previously used to detain immigrant children.
– Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth, Kansas.
– South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.
– Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, Nevada.
– Cibola County Correctional Center and Torrance County Detention Facility in New Mexico.
– California City Correctional Center in California City, California, which operated as a state prison until March 2024.

The intent behind these moves is to address growing detention demands as ICE detains more immigrants than at any time since the agency’s creation. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this expansion intends to support the Trump administration’s goal of “the largest deportation program in American history.”

Rapid Increase in Detention Capacity

ICE currently detains an average of 37,000 individuals daily, marking a 140% increase compared to numbers during the Biden administration. In 2024 alone, more than 260,000 people were detained, showing a substantial rise in immigration enforcement activities. New funding from Congress supports this trend, with $3.4 billion allocated for ICE detention in fiscal year 2024—a $500 million jump from the previous year. While this funding allows for a daily detainee population of 41,500, ICE’s expansion plans suggest this figure will soon be surpassed.

Private prison companies are integral to these efforts. Firms like the GEO Group, CoreCivic, Management and Training Corporation (MTC), and Target Hospitality have already submitted proposals to meet ICE’s requirement for increased capacity. These corporations have a long history in managing and operating immigration detention centers, and their role is expected to grow under the administration’s aggressive new policies.

Changes in Immigration Enforcement

Several policy changes have paved the way for the planned increase in ICE detention capacity:
1. Expanded Use of Expedited Removal: This allows ICE to quickly deport individuals without a full court hearing, even for those caught far from U.S. borders.
2. Enforcement in Sensitive Locations: Increased immigration raids have been reported at schools, hospitals, and religious centers.
3. Suspension of Refugee and Humanitarian Programs: Key programs, such as humanitarian parole, are paused, and refugee resettlement programs are halted indefinitely.
4. Citizenship Policies: Proposals to end birthright citizenship for children born to non-citizen parents in the U.S. are under review.
5. “Remain in Mexico” Revival: Programs like the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which require migrants to stay in Mexico while awaiting U.S. court hearings, are being reintroduced.

Most recently, on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed executive orders suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and imposing stricter visa vetting procedures, further aligning immigration practices with the administration’s enforcement priorities.

Concerns from Advocacy Groups

The expansion of detention capacity raises serious questions from immigration advocates and civil rights organizations. Chief among their concerns is how these changes will affect the due process rights of immigrants. The expanded use of expedited removal could deny detained individuals the right to an attorney or a fair court hearing before deportation.

Additionally, humanitarian concerns are growing. Instances of poor medical care, abuse, and neglect have already been documented in ICE facilities. With the planned increase in detainees, these issues may worsen. The focus on aggressive detainment also risks separating families, disrupting immigrant communities, and creating long-term trauma for children.

Cost-efficiency is another point of contention. Critics argue that alternatives to detention, such as monitoring programs, are more affordable and humane. But under current policies, ICE remains heavily reliant on physical detention facilities.

The immigration court system is facing major strain, with over 3.5 million cases pending as of January 2025. Critics fear further expansion could push the system into unmanageable levels of backlog, leaving detainees languishing for extended periods without resolutions to their cases.

Implications for Immigrant Communities

These intensified enforcement measures are likely to have a direct impact on immigrant families and communities across the U.S. Increased ICE raids at sensitive locations, such as schools and places of worship, are fueling fears of detention among immigrants, regardless of their legal status. Efforts to strip work authorizations, such as those tied to H-4 visa holders, also threaten the economic stability of families reliant on dual incomes.

Furthermore, the suspension of technologies, such as the CBP One mobile application, has left tens of thousands of migrants unable to schedule appointments for legal entry review. Approximately 270,000 migrants remain stranded without direction, a figure that may only rise as detention facilities are expanded and more enforcement measures take shape.

The Way Forward

As ICE’s agenda unfolds, it faces both logistical hurdles and legal challenges. Building or reopening detention facilities in multiple states requires enormous coordination with local governments, private contractors, and federal agencies. On the legal front, civil liberties organizations and activists continue to challenge the administration’s policies in court, citing violations of constitutional and humanitarian rights.

Private prison companies, however, stand to benefit from these developments, as contracts to operate detention centers represent lucrative sources of revenue. With daily detention costs reaching upwards of $150 per detainee in some facilities, questions remain about whether such spending is financially sustainable.

Conclusion

The Trump administration’s plans for increased ICE detention capacity represent a drastic shift in the U.S. approach to immigration governance. While these policies reflect renewed emphasis on enforcement and deportation, they come with significant human, social, and financial costs. Over the months ahead, the U.S. immigration landscape is set to undergo profound changes, with consequences likely to ripple through immigrant families, advocacy organizations, local economies, and the federal government. As these actions progress, their effectiveness—and their alignment with American values and international standards—will continue to be scrutinized.

To better understand ICE’s detention policies and current capacities, visit the agency’s official resource at https://www.ice.gov/detain.

Learn Today

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) → A U.S. agency overseeing immigration enforcement and detaining non-citizens for legal processes or deportation actions.
Expedited Removal → A fast-track deportation process allowing immigration authorities to remove individuals without full court hearings.
Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) → A U.S. program requiring migrants to stay in Mexico while awaiting court hearings for immigration cases.
Humanitarian Parole → A temporary legal allowance for individuals to enter the U.S. due to urgent humanitarian reasons or public benefit needs.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) → A U.S. law granting public access to government records, often used to obtain details on policies or actions.

This Article in a Nutshell

ICE’s plan to expand detention facilities across eight states intensifies U.S. immigration enforcement, aiming to deport 1 million unauthorized immigrants annually. Critics highlight looming humanitarian concerns, overburdened courts, and family separations. While private prison companies profit, communities brace for challenges. This expansion marks a pivotal, controversial shift in America’s immigration policy landscape.
— By VisaVerge.com