BY Rosemary Federal immigration authorities are preparing to spend $38.3 billion to dramatically expand the nation’s immigration detention system, increasing capacity to 92,600 beds as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement moves to acquire warehouses and convert them into large-scale detention and processing centers, according to a planning document released Friday. The blueprint outlines a sweeping buildout of facilities across the country, including 16 regional processing centers designed to hold between 1,000 and 1,500 detainees each for short stays averaging three to seven days. It also calls for the creation of eight large-scale detention complexes capable of housing between 7,000 and 10,000 detainees apiece, with average lengths of stay of less than 60 days. In addition, the document references the acquisition of 10 existing “turnkey” facilities that could be rapidly incorporated into the detention system. The expansion effort is intended to be operational by November and is part of a broader $45 billion enlargement of immigration detention capacity financed through recent tax legislation signed by Donald Trump. Federal officials have described the initiative as necessary to support stepped-up immigration enforcement nationwide. The document surfaced publicly after Kelly Ayotte, the Republican governor of New Hampshire, posted it online amid mounting friction over ICE’s proposal to convert a warehouse in Merrimack into a 500-bed processing center. The plan has drawn scrutiny from local officials and residents who say they have received limited information about the scope and operational details of the project. As of mid-January, more than 75,000 immigrants were being held in ICE custody, according to federal data released last week. That figure has risen sharply from roughly 40,000 detainees at the start of Trump’s current term a year earlier, underscoring the scale of the system’s recent growth and the administration’s push for additional space. The newly disclosed planning document makes reference to “non-traditional facilities,” a term that has become central to the current debate. In recent weeks, ICE has quietly purchased at least seven warehouses in states including Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas. Some of the properties exceed 1 million square feet, offering substantial capacity for conversion into detention or processing operations. Not all prospective deals have been completed. Warehouse purchases in six cities collapsed after property owners withdrew from negotiations amid pressure from community activists and local opposition. At the same time, other transactions, including potential acquisitions in New York, are said to be nearing completion. Municipal officials in several jurisdictions have expressed frustration over what they describe as limited transparency in the process. In many cases, city leaders say they are not informed of ICE’s plans until after a sale has closed, leaving them little opportunity to assess zoning implications, public safety concerns or economic impacts before facilities are formally established. Tensions escalated further following testimony Thursday by interim ICE Director Todd Lyons, who told lawmakers that the Department of Homeland Security had worked with Gov. Ayotte and provided her with an economic impact summary regarding the Merrimack proposal. Ayotte sharply disputed that account, stating that the summary referenced by Lyons was transmitted only hours after his testimony and that prior coordination had been minimal. She called his remarks “simply not true,” adding that the process had been marked by a troubling lack of detail. The document itself appears to contain inconsistencies that have added to the controversy. It references “ripple effects to the Oklahoma economy” and projected revenue from state sales and income taxes — levies that do not exist in New Hampshire — raising questions about whether portions of the analysis were repurposed from materials prepared for other states. “Officials from the Department of Homeland Security continue to provide zero details of their plans for Merrimack, never mind providing any reports or surveys,” Ayotte said in a statement, criticizing what she described as a pattern of procedural shortcomings. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the governor’s comments or the specific contents of the planning document. The agency has previously acknowledged that it is seeking additional detention space to accommodate increased enforcement operations. However, officials have objected to the characterization of the properties as simple warehouses, saying the facilities would be purpose-built or retrofitted to meet established federal detention standards. Under the plan, the new regional processing centers would function as short-term intake hubs, where migrants would be identified, screened and either released, transferred or moved into longer-term detention. The larger detention complexes would serve as high-capacity sites for individuals facing extended immigration proceedings or awaiting removal. Immigration advocates have raised concerns about the pace and scale of the expansion, arguing that rapid growth in detention infrastructure could outstrip oversight mechanisms and exacerbate longstanding criticisms of detention conditions. Supporters of the initiative contend that the increased capacity is necessary to manage record caseloads and enforce existing immigration laws. With nearly 93,000 beds projected nationwide, the proposed system would represent one of the largest immigration detention networks in U.S. history. As warehouse acquisitions continue and local resistance intensifies in several communities, the rollout of the plan is poised to remain a focal point of political and legal debate in the months ahead. An online journalist focused on delivering impactful news and compelling stories through digital platforms. (Note: Articles may not be original content. Reference byline for original source.)