ICE Advances Mega-Prison Construction Despite Legal, Local, and Federal Opposition

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials are advancing plans to construct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) mega-prisons in Texas and Maryland, defying legal challenges, local resistance, and a federal watchdog investigation.

An internal ICE memo obtained by The Washington Post revealed that staffers are exploring potential work at a warehouse near Hagerstown, Maryland, despite a judge’s order blocking construction. The report, published Friday, noted that DHS signed a $113 million contract in March with KVG, a defense contractor with no prior experience managing detention centers, to develop the Maryland facility. The contract’s value could escalate to $642 million over the next three years.

Last month, a Baltimore judge issued a temporary injunction against the project, citing insufficient facilities—only four toilets and two water fountains for an estimated 1,500-person capacity. However, Washington County, Maryland officials confirmed this month that ICE intends to proceed with an environmental assessment of the property, despite the government’s earlier claim that renovations posed no environmental risk.

ICE officials have also discussed awarding contracts to oversee the construction and operation of warehouses purchased earlier this year in San Antonio and near El Paso, according to two individuals briefed on the discussions. Local leaders in both areas have raised concerns about the facilities.

In San Antonio, ICE acquired a warehouse for $66 million, nearly double its $37 million assessed value. Precinct 4 County Commissioner Tommy Calvert criticized the purchase, stating it “reeked of corruption.” Near El Paso in Socorro, Texas, ICE paid $122 million for a warehouse owned by El Paso Logistics II LLC, a Delaware-based company. Local officials said they were notified of the sale only after it was finalized.

The DHS Office of Inspector General announced Thursday that it will investigate whether ICE purchased the buildings “in a cost-effective manner.” Real estate data tracker CoStar reported that DHS paid an average of 13% above market value for warehouse properties across eight states.

El Paso is already home to ICE’s largest detention center, Camp East Montana, which accumulated 60 federal code violations within its first 50 days of operation. Former President Donald Trump has proposed building eight additional facilities similar to Camp East Montana, with plans to expand their size.