The Trump administration is advancing plans to expand U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention capacity by converting additional warehouses into facilities.

On November 12, officials signaled progress on two sites as part of a broader initiative that has already seen the purchase of 11 warehouses nationwide. The effort aims to support increased enforcement and deportation operations under President Trump’s second term.

Homeland Security has pursued the conversions to meet targets of detaining up to 100,000 immigrants at a time. The plan includes large-scale facilities and regional processing centers funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Detention numbers have risen sharply since January 2025, reaching nearly 66,000 people by July 2026, a 66 percent increase from the start of the term. The total number of authorized facilities has more than doubled to 272 during the same period.

Some earlier warehouse projects faced legal challenges and were abandoned in states including Georgia and Utah. Despite those setbacks, the administration completed environmental reviews and awarded contracts for new conversions in locations such as Arizona and New Jersey.

The expansion supports the administration’s priority of interior enforcement and removals. ICE has conducted record deportations in fiscal year 2026 while scaling up arrests and transportation resources.

Critics have raised concerns over facility conditions and local impacts, but supporters argue the additional capacity is essential for upholding immigration law and addressing public safety threats from unlawful presence.

The Department of Homeland Security continues to pursue traditional sites alongside warehouse conversions to sustain momentum in enforcement operations.