Democrats Propose Ban on ICE Converting Warehouses into Detention Centers Amid Expansion of Immigration Enforcement

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — Amid an expansion of federal immigration enforcement operations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly purchased a 833,000 square foot warehouse in Salt Lake City, paying well above its assessed value, to support detention, processing, and logistical needs in the region.

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Legislation Aims to Block ICE from Expanding Detention Infrastructure

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has introduced the Ban Warehouse Detention Act, a bill that would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from converting warehouses and similar buildings into immigrant detention centers. The legislation also seeks to prevent ICE from developing other "non-traditional" detention facilities.

"ICE and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] are murdering people in the streets, tearing families apart, abducting our neighbors, and locking them in cages. Now they are attempting to buy and convert warehouses across our country into massive prisons."

The bill represents a direct challenge to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies, which have included mass deportations and the expansion of detention facilities.

Warehouse Purchase Raises Concerns Over ICE Expansion

The 833,000 square foot warehouse in Salt Lake City, purchased by ICE, has drawn scrutiny due to its size and the price paid, which exceeded the property's assessed value. The facility is intended to support detention, processing, and logistical operations in the region.

Critics argue that the purchase and potential conversion of the warehouse into a detention center would further escalate ICE's enforcement capabilities, raising concerns about human rights and due process violations.