Trump admin scraps ICE detention warehouse plans after controversy [View all]

Source: USA Today

June 25, 2026, 5:08 a.m. ET


In the first three months of 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement purchased nearly a dozen commercial warehouses as part of an effort to rapidly expand its detention space.

Now, following intense backlash from local communities, a series of lawsuits and a leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security, the agency appears to be abandoning the initiative – a dramatic shift away from a plan that had already seen spending upwards of $1 billion.

Multiple federal, state and local officials announced in June that the projects would not be moving forward, citing conversations with immigration authorities. DHS also indicated in court records that it intends to sell a warehouse it purchased in Romulus, Michigan.

In a statement to multiple news outlets, DHS said it is “moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners” to support deportation efforts, rather than converting empty warehouses into detention sites.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/06/25/ice-cancels-warehouse-detention-plans/90677305007/