ICE is negotiating to acquire immigration detention facilities from its largest private contractors after local backlash stalled its earlier plan to rapidly renovate warehouses into mega-jails. The Department of Homeland Security aims to own its detention spaces, marking a sharp pivot from the mostly leased network that held a peak population of more than 70,000 detainees earlier this year.
This shift toward ownership gives the federal government more control over infrastructure but raises questions about long-term capacity and cost. The pivot comes as communities resist large detention projects, forcing ICE to explore alternative acquisition strategies with established vendors who already operate under federal contracts.
CoreCivic, which currently leases roughly one-quarter of ICE's immigrant detention beds, confirmed it is in talks to sell some of its turnkey facilities to the agency. GeoGroup, another major vendor hosting about 25,000 beds for ICE, is also engaged in discussions, executives disclosed on recent earnings calls.
CoreCivic CEO Patrick Swindle described the broader vision as developing a nationwide network that consolidates populations in relatively larger facilities to serve the entire country. Any sales remain contingent on mutual agreement on price, suggesting negotiations could prove complex.
Critics of detention expansion argue that increased federal ownership could lock in harsh enforcement policies and make future administrations slower to downsize. They contend the government should instead invest in alternatives to detention rather than expanding physical capacity.