President Donald Trump’s inauguration-day executive orders and promises of mass deportations of millions of people are contingent on securing funding for detention centers. The Trump administration has not disclosed how many immigration detention beds are required to achieve its goals or the associated costs. Estimates suggest that 11.7 million people are living in the U.S. illegally, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently has the budget for only 41,000 beds.
A bill known as the Laken Riley Act, recently passed by Congress, would cost at least $26.9 billion to increase capacity at immigrant detention facilities by adding 110,000 beds. Trump has also deployed troops to prevent illegal entry at the southern U.S. border and triggered the Alien Enemies Act to combat cartels.
ICE currently detains immigrants in various facilities around the U.S. but lacks specific family detention centers. Private investors are anticipating a building boom, driving up stock prices for immigration detention providers. The Pentagon may provide air transportation support to DHS and could offer appropriate detention space.
The ACLU estimates that ICE is considering expanding immigrant detention space across eight states, including locations near major immigrant populations in New York City and San Francisco. Advocates for immigrant rights are concerned about a hyper-militarized police state and the potential expansion of the largest detention system for migrants. The involvement of the military in detention raises questions about readiness and appropriate facilities.
Immigration detention infrastructure ultimately requires congressional funding and thoughtful consideration, especially with the involvement of the military in this process.
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