The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend $38.3 billion by the end of this year on a sweeping expansion of detention infrastructure across the United States, according to a document released by the office of Kelly Ayotte, Governor of New Hampshire.
The document, shared by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), outlines how the agency intends to detain and process tens of thousands of immigrants slated for deportation, reported Reuters.
Also Read | The shocking pregnant woman cage video? ‘Epstein Files’ link exposed as fake
Massive expansion of detention facilities
According to the plan, ICE will purchase 16 existing buildings and renovate them into regional processing centres. Each of these facilities will be able to house between 1,000 and 1,500 detainees for short stays of three to seven days.
In addition, the agency plans to open eight large detention centres with capacities ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 detainees. These centres are expected to hold individuals for an average of around 60 days and will serve as the "primary location" for immigrants being deported abroad. ICE will also acquire 10 additional "turnkey" facilities where it already operates, stated the Reuters report.
Preparing for a surge in arrests
The plan is tied to ICE's preparation for a significant increase in enforcement activity in 2026, following the hiring of 12,000 additional agents. The document, as quoted by Reuters, states, "This new model will allow ICE to create an efficient detention network by reducing the total number of contracted detention facilities in use while increasing total bed capacity, enhancing custody management, and streamlining removal operations."
Contractors will be hired to renovate facilities, adding detention housing, medical and dental services, cafeterias, recreational areas, dormitories, and courtroom spaces. The document says the facilities will ensure the "safe and humane civil detention of aliens".
Funding and capacity growth
The detention expansion will be funded through a major spending package passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July 2025. The legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill", allocated $170 billion for immigration enforcement, including $45 billion specifically for detention. By comparison, the 2024 fiscal year budget allocated $3.4 billion for immigration detention.
Also Read | Father shoots British woman after 'big argument' over Donald Trump in Texas
ICE expects the new facilities to be operational by the end of November 2026, raising total detention capacity to 92,600 beds.
Broader immigration crackdown
Detention numbers have already risen sharply, increasing by about 74 per cent since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, with more than 68,000 people currently in ICE custody. The administration has expanded arrests, increased enforcement in major cities, tightened border controls and broadened the group of immigrants eligible for deportation. A DHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment, said Reuters.
