The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is allocating $10 billion through the Navy to support the development of a large-scale network of migrant detention centers across the country, as revealed by sources and federal contracting documents. This initiative aims to expedite the construction of these facilities, with some projects expected to start as early as next month, according to one source familiar with the project.
This move represents another instance of the Trump administration utilizing the U.S. military to bolster its immigration enforcement strategies. The goal is to significantly increase nationwide immigration operations and apprehend a record number of migrants.
The contracting program, which has not been previously reported, involves a collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense. It leverages the Navy’s Supply Systems Command as a contracting arm to hire companies for the construction and maintenance of the detention facilities.
According to sources, the new detention centers are likely to be primarily soft-sided tents, and they may or may not be built on existing Navy installations. DHS has frequently used such facilities to manage surges in migrant arrivals.
One source indicated that the facilities could accommodate up to 10,000 people each, with plans to construct them in Louisiana, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Utah, and Kansas. However, many details about the facilities remain unclear, as the contracting process is still ongoing.
An increase in immigration arrests has necessitated more detention space to hold individuals for processing and potential deportation. ICE, which also uses local jails, was previously funded for around 41,000 beds to temporarily house detainees. White House border czar Tom Homan has expressed a desire to double this number quickly.
To achieve this, Homeland Security officials have been exploring ways to secure contracts rapidly, which can often be delayed by federal competition rules. One source noted that DHS has been "bouncing around from one contract vehicle to another," as challenges and delays in contracts have previously posed difficulties for the department.
In July, ICE secured $45 billion in additional funding from Congress to build new detention facilities. One such facility was constructed at Fort Bliss Army base in Texas and reportedly violated dozens of federal detention standards.
The latest contract approach, facilitated through the Defense Department, is expected to streamline the process by narrowing the pool of eligible contractors and accelerating the contracting timeline, according to sources.
The Navy’s solicitation listed on a federal contracting site outlines what will be expected of contractors. For example, they will be required to build various structures within the detention facilities, including courtrooms and administrative and support spaces for ICE staff, as per the documents reviewed by BrowBrow. Contractors will also need to ensure access to emergency services and airport transfers, reflecting ICE’s diverse needs as it works to implement Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
The Navy and DHS did not respond to requests for comment.
“It’s not surprising they would do this, especially for this type of quick turnaround construction,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on defense spending.
“The military is good at logistics, and they’ve had to do quick turn construction projects like this overseas. You’re already dealing with an organization that knows how to do this type of contracting activity, and do it quickly.”
To facilitate the construction, the Navy quietly expanded an existing contracting mechanism in July to “add a new geographic region”—the United States and outlying territories. Previously, the contract solicitation, known as the Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract, had been used mainly to support military operations abroad. But in July, it was amended as “WEXMAC 2.1, Territorial Integrity of the United States,” and now notes that contractors “may be required to provide infrastructure, staffing, services, and/or supplies necessary to provide safe and secure confinement for aliens in the administrative custody” of DHS and ICE.
It also stipulates that new contracts will involve Defense Support of Civil Authorities—a process by which U.S. military assets and personnel can be used to support domestic law enforcement missions—and says that contractors “will provide for the secure custody, care, and safekeeping of aliens in accordance with state and local laws, standards, policies, procedures for firearms requirements, or court orders applicable.”
The new solicitation also states that contractors building and staffing the facilities do not have “right of refusal, and shall take all referrals from ICE as applicable.”
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