U.S. immigration authorities plan to significantly expand detention facilities for illegal immigrants by the end of 2026, allocating $38.3 billion for the acquisition and renovation of detention centers, according to recently published government documents, LETA reports citing AFP.
These measures will increase the number of beds available to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to 92,600, with the agency anticipating more "operations and detentions in 2026."
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump continues its campaign of mass deportations of illegal immigrants. It has increased the number of beds to reach a goal of housing 100,000 detainees.
ICE will acquire and renovate eight "large-scale detention centers" and 16 "processing sites" by the end of the fiscal year, according to the document "ICE Detention System Reorganization Initiative."
The agency will also acquire "10 operational detention sites where ICE (...) is already working," the document notes.
It adds that $38.3 billion from funds available under last year's spending law will be used for these purposes.
At the beginning of Trump's second presidential term, there were about 40,000 people in ICE detention facilities. Their numbers have been steadily increasing, and existing detention centers are reported to be overcrowded.
New documents were released on Thursday by Republican Governor of New Hampshire, Kelly Ayotte, where one of these detention centers will be located.
Large detention centers will house between 7,000 and 10,000 immigrants, while smaller "processing sites" will accommodate between 1,000 and 1,500 immigrants, according to the document.
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