U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is rapidly scaling up migrant detention operations nationwide after securing $45 billion in new federal funding, aiming to increase bed capacity from 40,000 to 100,000 by the end of the year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The expansion includes large-scale tent facilities on military bases and ICE-run jails, with a flagship 5,000-bed site planned at Fort Bliss in Texas. Other locations under development include Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey. Internal documents reviewed by the WSJ indicate the agency is prioritizing swift construction to meet escalating demands at the southern border.
A senior ICE official confirmed to Reuters that military bases are being considered to house detainees as part of the capacity expansion strategy. While ICE declined to confirm specific site details, officials stressed the urgency of securing additional bedspace amid rising migrant crossings.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has voiced support for working with Republican-led states rather than private prison contractors. Noem revealed ongoing talks with five GOP-governed states to establish new detention centers modeled after Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” facility. The Florida site, known for its strict protocols, is being promoted as a template for national use.
“We’ve had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model,” Noem said during a press conference last week, though she did not name the states involved.
The Trump administration continues to face pressure from both immigration advocates and enforcement hardliners, with the latest ICE move signaling a significant shift toward expanded federal control of migrant detention infrastructure, particularly in Republican states. As detention numbers surge, the U.S. faces renewed scrutiny over its immigration policies and human rights standards.