The ICE plans to allocate approximately 40 billion dollars for the acquisition and transformation of existing buildings into migrant detention centers, as revealed by documents from a U.S. governor.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is set to invest around 40 billion dollars to acquire and repurpose more than twenty existing buildings into immigrant detention centers, based on documents released by a U.S. governor. This investment marks a significant shift in the agency's approach to immigration enforcement and highlights ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of migrants. A document titled 'Detention Reorganization Project,' bearing the seal of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), outlines a new model focusing on the acquisition and renovation of eight large detention centers and sixteen processing sites.
The proposed large detention centers are expected to hold between 7,000 and 10,000 migrants, while the processing sites will accommodate between 1,000 and 1,500 individuals. According to the ICE proposal, migrants in what are termed 'regional processing centers' will remain for an average of three to seven days, enabling faster processing. Meanwhile, those in the mega centers would have an average stay of 60 days prior to deportation, raising concerns about the implications for the rights and well-being of detainees.
This massive investment appears to signal an intensification of the U.S. government's immigration enforcement strategy amidst ongoing debates about border security and migrant rights. The scale of this funding could lead to significant changes in the management of detentions, and it will likely draw reactions from various advocacy groups emphasizing the need for humane treatment of migrants throughout their detention and processing periods. With this move, the ICE aims to reshape its facilities and enhance its operational capacity, but it also risks further entrenching controversial practices in immigration policy.
