The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is abandoning its ambitious initiative to transform commercial warehouses into massive detention centers for immigrants, as reported by the Associated Press. This marks the end of a key component of the immigration strategy once championed by former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
The federal government had invested a total of $1.074 billion to purchase 11 warehouses in various cities across the country, intending to house up to 10,000 individuals at a single site, as part of a $38 billion plan to expand detention capacity.
On Monday, the government informed a judge that the Romulus, Michigan warehouse—spanning 249,000 square feet and acquired for $34.7 million—will be sold following a lawsuit filed by the state of Michigan and a Detroit suburb.
In Social Circle, Georgia, Republican Congressman Mike Collins announced to the city that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would no longer pursue a detention center there.
Changes in Texas and Other Locations
In Socorro, Texas, near El Paso, ICE's acting director David Venturella informed local officials that the three warehouses purchased for $122 million would not be used to detain up to 8,500 immigrants as initially planned. Instead, these spaces will be converted into an ICE campus with offices, training areas, and a smaller number of detainees.
According to internal documents obtained by The New York Times, immigration authorities plan to dispose of seven out of the 11 properties, including the Salt Lake City warehouse, the most expensive acquisition at $145.4 million.
Bipartisan Opposition and Infrastructure Issues
The plan was met with bipartisan resistance from the start: seven federal lawsuits were filed, states blocked permits due to inadequate infrastructure, and the purchases—conducted secretly without consulting communities—sparked outrage in both Democratic and Republican municipalities.
Discrepancies in the prices paid also triggered an internal audit: DHS paid double the appraised value for the New Jersey warehouse and nearly five times more for the Social Circle location.
The lack of basic infrastructure was another critical obstacle. In Salt Lake City, ICE proposed transporting water and sewage via trucks as a "temporary solution" due to the absence of adequate networks.
Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former ICE official under the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations, described the plan as "absolutely reckless," warning that large-scale facilities are operationally unfeasible: "Facilities with more than 2,000 people simply fall apart. It's exceedingly difficult to manage such a large facility, keep it staffed, and ensure everything functions."
Leadership Changes and Future Plans
Kristi Noem was dismissed in March 2026. Her successor, Markwayne Mullin, immediately halted the purchase of new warehouses upon taking office and acknowledged during his confirmation hearing that most municipalities lack the water and sanitation network capacity to support thousands of individuals.
The DHS did not confirm reports about the sale of the properties but stated it is "moving quickly to utilize existing detention space with our state and county partners."
Not all projects have been canceled: in Maryland, where a judge blocked construction due to the lack of an environmental assessment, ICE continues to gather public comments and has released details of the project, which includes six secure recreation yards. Patrick Dattilio, founder of the opposition group Hagerstown Rapid Response, remains steadfast: "It's a big warehouse. It's not meant for people."
Understanding ICE's Detention Strategy Shift
Why did ICE abandon the warehouse detention plan?
ICE abandoned the plan due to bipartisan opposition, infrastructure inadequacies, and internal audits revealing overpriced purchases. These factors made the project operationally and politically untenable.
What will happen to the warehouses purchased by ICE?
ICE plans to sell some of the warehouses while repurposing others, like those in Socorro, Texas, into ICE campuses with reduced detention capacity and additional office and training spaces.
Who opposed the warehouse detention centers?
The plan faced bipartisan opposition, with lawsuits filed and states blocking permits, highlighting dissatisfaction across both Democratic and Republican communities.