US plans massive $38.3b expansion of migrant detention capacity

WEB DESK: The United States government has announced plans to spend $38.3b to significantly expand migrant detention facilities across the country by the end of 2026.

According to AFP, the funds, earmarked for the acquisition, renovation and construction of new centres, form part of a broader effort to overhaul the immigration detention system amid a crackdown on undocumented migrants.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Under the initiative, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to convert at least 16 existing buildings into regional processing facilities, each capable of holding between 1,000 and 1,500 detainees for short stays, and to construct eight large-scale detention centres with capacity for up to 10,000 people at a time. In addition, the agency plans to take control of 10 “turnkey” facilities where ICE already operates, integrating them into the expanded network.

Officials expect total detention capacity to reach around 92,600 beds, a sharp increase over current levels, as authorities prepare for a projected rise in arrests following the hiring of thousands of new enforcement personnel.

The expansion, part of a so-called “Detention Reengineering Initiative,” is funded through legislation passed by Congress, which allocated tens of billions of dollars for immigration enforcement.

Proponents say the expanded facilities will create a more “efficient” system for processing and housing migrants. However, local officials and civil liberties groups have expressed concern about the humanitarian impact of dramatically increasing the number of people held in detention.

ICE officials have stated that the new centres will include basic services such as healthcare and recreational areas and are intended to ensure “safe and humane” conditions for detainees.

The expansion comes amid ongoing debate in the United States over immigration policy, border security, and the rights of migrants, and it is expected to remain a contentious issue ahead of the 2026 mid‑term elections.