The Washington administration plans to spend approximately $38.3 billion to create detention centers for illegal immigrants in several states to speed up their deportations. This is stated in documents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Service, published on the website of New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte.
According to these documents, the creation of “eight large detention centers“ for migrants before deportation, as well as 16 smaller facilities by November 30, 2026, is planned. This will include renovation of existing buildings. The cost of the new detention center model is estimated at $38.3 billion“. The implementation of these measures will allow the agency to simultaneously detain more than 92,000 migrants.
The documents were provided to Ayotte's office at her request by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
As Axios reported on February 1, residents of several US states, including Maryland, Virginia, Minnesota, Texas, New Hampshire and New York, protested the US government's plans to create the aforementioned centers. The Washington Post reported in late December 2025 that DHS plans to convert industrial warehouses into migrant detention centers. Experts have noted that converting warehouses to house large numbers of people can be difficult, as they typically lack adequate ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems.
Representatives of the current administration in Washington have repeatedly stated that an estimated 25 million people entered the country illegally before their administration. American officials have emphasized their intention to conduct the largest deportation operation of illegal immigrants in American history. Political opponents of the administration have accused it of being too harsh on immigrants.