Скачать или смотреть Inside ICE’s Secret Plan to Convert Warehouses Into Mass Detention Centers

Internal government documents reveal that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering a sweeping plan to convert industrial warehouses into large-scale immigration detention centers—potentially expanding detention capacity to 80,000 immigrants nationwide.

According to draft materials reviewed by The Washington Post, the proposal would replace the current scattered detention network with a centralized system of mega-facilities, including seven hubs capable of holding 5,000 to 10,000 detainees each, along with additional warehouse-style sites across multiple states.

ICE officials argue the plan could increase efficiency and speed up deportations, while critics warn that warehouse facilities are not designed for human confinement, raising serious concerns about safety, medical care, sanitation, and basic dignity. Human rights advocates, local officials, and immigration groups say the proposal could face major legal and community challenges.

The Department of Homeland Security has not formally approved the plan, but ICE has already awarded $30 million in preliminary contracts, signaling that the proposal is moving forward internally.

With ICE detention numbers already at historic highs—and many detainees held for civil immigration violations only—this plan is fueling renewed national debate over the future of U.S. immigration enforcement.

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