Story perspectives

ICE Plans to Sell $1.07B Warehouse Holdings

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 11:46 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

ICE wasted more than $20 million on warehouse projects it now plans to sell.
ICE bought 11 warehouses for $1.07 billion between January and April 2026.
ICE and GSA incurred $7.7 million in zoning and title costs to sell seven warehouses by June 2026.
ICE’s average daily detention population rose 71% from about 39,300 in January 2025 to nearly 67,200 by July 30 2026.

History

Historical Context

In 2014, the Obama administration launched the $1.2 billion ICE Detention Expansion Initiative, doubling the nation’s immigration holding capacity. The Department of Homeland Security, partnering with the General Services Administration, contracted 12 new warehouses, incurring $150 million in construction and zoning fees. Similarly, ICE’s 2026 acquisition of 11 warehouses for $1.07 billion and a 71% surge in detainee numbers mirrors that earlier rapid expansion. These patterns suggest recurring fiscal inefficiencies and escalating detention populations, prompting congressional calls for stricter oversight and alternative immigration policies.

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Story summary

ICE wasted more than $20 million on warehouse projects it now plans to sell.
ICE bought 11 warehouses for $1.07 billion between January and April 2026.
ICE and GSA incurred $7.7 million in zoning and title costs to sell seven warehouses by June 2026.
ICE’s average daily detention population rose 71% from about 39,300 in January 2025 to nearly 67,200 by July 30 2026.

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