DHS Reassesses Detention Expansion Plan

The Department of Homeland Security is postponing the purchase of warehouses intended for immigrant detention as it reviews contracts signed under former Secretary Kristi Noem, according to a senior department official.

The move comes days after Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as DHS secretary, taking over an agency central to President Donald Trump's immigration agenda while facing resistance to its detention expansion plans.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said previously completed warehouse purchases are also under review. NBC News first reported the pause.

In a statement, DHS said that "as with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals." The department also noted Mullin's stated goal of working with community leaders and being a "good partner."

Mullin inherits a $38.3 billion plan to expand detention capacity to 92,000 beds through eight large lockups housing 7,000 to 10,000 detainees each, along with 16 smaller regional processing centers.

The plan, developed under Noem, has faced opposition from communities across the country.

Critics have raised concerns about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement sites, as well as potential strain on local infrastructure such as water and sewer systems.

So far, DHS has purchased 11 sites in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah at a total cost of $1.074 billion.

Legal challenges are pending in three states, and at least one project has been scaled back. In Surprise, Arizona, a planned 1,500-bed prison is now expected to be capped at 542 beds, according to local officials.

In several cases, local leaders said they were informed of ICE plans only after properties had been acquired, prompting criticism even in areas that support the administration.

The initiative has also encountered setbacks, with eight proposed deals falling through, including in Kansas City, Missouri, when property owners declined to sell.

At his confirmation hearing, Mullin acknowledged concerns about communication and infrastructure.

"We've got to protect the homeland, and we're going to do that," Mullin said. "But obviously we want to work with community leaders."

He also pointed to infrastructure limitations in many municipalities.

"One thing I do know is construction," Mullin said. "Most municipalities don't have the capacity in their infrastructure for waste and water."

"It's important that we're talking to the communities and, if we're having additional needs, we can work with the cities," he added.