The Department of Homeland Security has paused plans to buy additional warehouses intended for immigrant detention, according to a senior DHS official, as the incoming secretary reviews contracting decisions made during Kristi Noem’s tenure. The official described the pause as part of a broader scrutiny of Noem-era contracts and said the review includes warehouse purchases that were already made.
The developments arrive days after Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as the new homeland security secretary. Mullin’s early mandate lands on a department that, during Noem’s time, pushed to expand detention capacity as part of President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation agenda, and the administration’s contracting choices drew resistance from communities across the country.
The DHS official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, also said DHS is reviewing contracts and warehouse acquisitions that were already completed. When asked about the pause, DHS pointed to a general transition posture, saying that “as with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals.”
The DHS official’s description follows Mullin’s prior remarks during his confirmation hearing, including that he wanted to “work with community leaders” and “be good partners.” The AP previously reported that Mullin acknowledged there had been issues when pressed during the hearing about the process and transparency of detention-expansion decisions.
According to DHS’s earlier detention-capacity plan that Mullin inherited, the department aimed to boost bed capacity to 92,000 by acquiring large-scale detention centers and additional processing sites. The plan included eight large-scale detention centers designed to house 7,000 to 10,000 detainees each, along with 16 smaller regional processing centers, and DHS said many of those efforts were tied to Noem-era planning.
That plan faced opposition in multiple communities, with residents objecting to the placement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities and also raising questions about whether local infrastructure could absorb the added demand. In places where DHS sought to secure housing or sites, some deals were reportedly canceled after owners declined to sell or lease space.
Warehouse purchases have already been under way in multiple states, the AP said, with federal spending of $1.074 billion for 11 warehouses purchased in locations including Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah. The AP also said lawsuits were pending in three states tied to the warehouse approach.
In Arizona, an example of changes appears in Surprise, a Phoenix suburb. Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor said during a Monday news conference that Homeland Security had capped occupied beds at 542, after earlier plans had called for a 1,500-bed processing site at that location.
The AP reported that in many areas, local leaders learned about the scope of ICE’s warehouse ambitions only after the agency bought or leased space for detainees. That pattern, the AP said, drove additional shock and frustration even in communities that had supported Trump’s agenda.
Mullin told senators during his confirmation hearing that “We’ve got to protect the homeland and we’re going to do that,” while adding that DHS wants to work with community leaders. He also said he believed many municipalities lack the infrastructure capacity for the waste and water demands that detention centers can create, and he argued that DHS should coordinate with cities if additional needs arise.