ICE ‘Detention Reengineering’ Plan Expands Capacity, Accelerates Deportation of Criminal Aliens
A sweeping new blueprint from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is poised to dramatically expand the federal government’s immigration detention capacity and expedite the removal of criminal aliens, according to internal documents and state disclosures.
The initiative, dubbed the Detention Reengineering Initiative, represents a strategic shift in immigration enforcement. It seeks to overhaul the existing detention network by constructing large, centrally located facilities while renovating warehouses around the country to serve as processing and detention hubs.
Federal officials estimate the plan will cost $38.3 billion and increase ICE’s detention capacity to approximately 92,600 beds nationwide by the end of fiscal year 2026. This funding stems from the substantial allocation provided in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress.
At the heart of the initiative are eight mega-centers designed to house up to 10,000 detainees each, as well as 16 regional processing sites for short-term stays pending transfer or removal proceedings.
ICE leadership has emphasized that expanded capacity is necessary to accommodate an anticipated surge in arrests, driven by a significant increase in enforcement officers — including the hiring of 12,000 new agents — and a renewed emphasis on removing criminal aliens.
“Our nation’s immigration laws must be enforced consistently,” said one senior law enforcement official familiar with the initiative. “Expanding detention capacity and streamlining removals is essential to protecting communities from repeat offenders and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.”
Converting Warehouses Into Detention Hubs
Publicly released documents reveal that ICE has quietly purchased several large warehouse facilities — some exceeding 1 million square feet — in states including Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These facilities are earmarked for conversion into detention or processing centers.
One such project in Merrimack, New Hampshire, has drawn local attention after state officials published federal plans showing the federal government is considering retrofitting a 324,000-square-foot warehouse into a processing site capable of holding up to 1,500 detainees.
While federal economic impact analyses project job creation and local revenue benefits, some state leaders and citizens decry the lack of transparent communication from federal authorities.
Political and Community Reactions
The detention reengineering strategy has already prompted debate among policymakers, local officials, and advocacy groups. In New Hampshire, the governor’s office posted internal DHS documents online to ensure public access after initially being caught off guard by federal plans.
Critics, including civil liberties advocates, argue the scale of the detention expansion could strain local communities and undermine public trust. However, proponents emphasize that enhanced infrastructure is vital for enforcing existing immigration laws and protecting American citizens from recidivist criminal aliens.
State and federal law enforcement groups have uniformly supported the initiative, citing chronic overcrowding, lengthy transfers, and procedural bottlenecks that have historically hampered immigration enforcement operations.
Accelerating Deportations of Criminal Aliens
Under the reengineering plan, deportations for criminal offenders are expected to proceed more swiftly than under previous enforcement models. Previously, limited detention space often forced ICE to release convicted alien offenders back into communities due to lack of capacity — a practice critics have long underscored as a public safety concern.
Immigration enforcement insiders say faster removals will particularly target those convicted of violent crimes, drug trafficking, and repeat criminal conduct. The policy shift echoes conservative priorities asserting that immigration enforcement should focus on border security and public safety.
Embedded below are recent social media and video posts that illuminate the national discussion surrounding the detention reengineering initiative:
Federal Enforcement Ahead
Officials at the Department of Homeland Security and ICE maintain that the Detention Reengineering Initiative will modernize a detention framework long plagued by fragmentation, inefficiency, and overreliance on local jail contracts.
The expanded detention network and accelerated deportation apparatus have become emblematic of the broader enforcement priorities of the current federal administration — emphasizing rule of law, border security, and public safety. Supporters argue this represents a long-overdue recalibration of national immigration policy.
Detention centers converted from warehouses and newly constructed facilities could redefine federal immigration infrastructure for decades, reshaping how the United States approaches enforcement and removal of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.