Trump Reportedly Plans Major Expansion of Immigrant Detention Facilities for Mass Deportations

The specifics behind President-elect Donald Trump's plans for mass deportation are still mostly being kept under wraps. But in the week that's passed since Election Day, there have been several signs pointing to what it might look like, provided for the most part by new "border czar" Thomas Homan.

Upon the ex-ICE director's appointment, for example, shares of The Geo Group and CoreCivic, two of the largest publicly-traded companies in the private prison industry, soared, fueled by investor expectations of increased demand for detention services.

In an earnings call last week, GEO Group Executive Chairman George Zoley said the company "was built for this unique moment in our company's — country's history and the opportunity that it will bring", as NBC News reports. The company's CEO, Brian Evans, even noted a "theoretical potential doubling" of the company's services under the new administration's policy.

CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger stated that the company is activating its 18,000 available beds across various facilities in preparation for an increase in detainees.

NBC News also cited two sources familiar with the mass deportation planning which explained that the logistics involve a significant expansion of immigration detention facilities. The aim is to double the current 41,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention beds, with plans for temporary and permanent facilities across the U.S. to house detained immigrants prior to deportation.

This expansion would include reinstating family detention policies that were ended in 2021 under the Biden administration.

To achieve these goals, the Trump transition team is assessing which closed facilities could be reopened, where additional space in county jails might be available, and potential locations for new facilities.

Locations under consideration include major cities with large immigrant populations, such as Los Angeles, Denver, Miami, and Chicago, as well as the northeastern metropolitan areas of New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

The future administration is allegedly prioritizing regions with limited existing detention capacity rather than targeting Democratic strongholds directly. Despite sanctuary policies in certain cities, ICE expansion in those areas would not be impeded, according to individuals involved with the plan.

Meanwhile the current administration is bracing for an uptick in border crossings, stoked by fears of potential future policies. Reports have stated that sources inside Homeland Security are already questioning the agency's capacity for the influx, including the availability of agents and bed space in ICE detention centers.