ICE Begins Warehouse-Buying Spree in Small Towns Despite Protest

Also today: How NYC could build 41 miles of new subway, and Haitians in Miami confront sudden loss of legal status.



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By Linda Poon

January 30, 2026 at 1:28 PM EST

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The Trump administration has begun buying warehouses in small towns and cities as part of its $45 billion push to rapidly expand immigration detention space. It recently purchased two warehouses — one in Hagerstown, Maryland, and another in Surprise, Arizona — for a total of $172 million. A third in El Paso, Texas, could be among the largest jails of any kind in the US, with 8,500 beds.
ICE Pivots To Warehouses

Warehouses identified by ICE to convert into immigration detention facilities

Source: Bloomberg reporting
Note: The 23 sites depicted are part of the agency's warehouse plans. Sites could be changed or removed.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to buy and convert nearly two dozen warehouses, many in Republican-leaning areas. But that hasn’t stopped protest from local residents, who’ve shown up at community meetings and at potential sites to pressure town officials and property owners to block ICE’s plans. While local governments are limited in what they can do to stop federal actions, Sophie Alexander and Fola Akinnibi report that they do have some tools at their disposal.

Today on CityLab: ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega’ Warehouse Detention Centers Across US
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— Linda Poon
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ICE Begins Warehouse-Buying Spree Despite Local Protests: CityLab Daily - Bloomberg