A plan for seven warehouses purchased to house immigrants has been scrapped.
By Catholics for Catholics
In a sudden turn of events, seven warehouses that were purchased for more than $700 million by the Department of Homeland Security to have as detention centers for migrants are to be discarded, given to other federal agencies or straight away sold, according to a story by Newsmax.
This is a major recoil from a high-profile immigration detention expansion plan launched under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to multiple reports.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement bought 11 vacant warehouses over the past year at a price surpassing $1 billion as part of a bigger effort to greatly expand detention capacity and support President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
The warehouses were supposed to be converted into large-scale detention centers and processing hubs capable of housing tens of thousands of detainees.
Nevertheless, documents obtained by The New York Times show ICE now intends to get rid of seven of the properties, located in Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Utah, and New Jersey.
In addition, The Wall Street Journal reported that Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security’s Secretary, who succeeded Noem earlier this year, paused the warehouse initiative shortly after taking office.
According to the Journal, Mullin has emphasized using existing detention facilities operated by state and local partners rather than undertaking costly warehouse conversions.
“D.H.S. is moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners,” the department said in a statement cited by both reports.
Four warehouses in Texas, Arizona, and Maryland are still expected to move forward, though their future remains uncertain because of ongoing legal challenges.
ICE is also reportedly exploring the purchase of existing detention centers from private prison operators.
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