ICE spent $1 billion on detention warehouses without notifying states or Congress

In early 2026, the Trump administration purchased 11 massive warehouses across the country for $1.074 billion, a secret project designed to rapidly expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention capacity. The plan involved eight mega-centers, each designed to hold 7,000 to 10,000 migrants, plus 16 smaller regional processing centers and 10 converted existing detention facilities. Federal officials made most acquisitions without consulting state or local leaders, keeping communities in the dark until purchases were finalized. Republican and Democratic governors, mayors, and senators united against the expansion despite disagreements on immigration policy broadly. Days after taking office in late March 2026, new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin paused all new warehouse purchases and ordered reviews of predecessor Kristi Noem's contracts after discovering evidence of dramatic overpayment and poor planning. ICE paid premiums of 11-13% for the buildings according to CoStar analysis. The funds came from the $75 billion allocation in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.