The incoming Trump administration is reportedly in talks with private prison companies to significantly expand immigrant detention centers as part of President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan, sources familiar with the planning told NBC News.
The plan aims to double the number of detention beds used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), increasing the current 41,000 beds allocated by Congress to accommodate large numbers of immigrants awaiting deportation after being arrested in the U.S. The administration is also considering reviving the controversial family detention policy, which involves holding parents and children together in detention. This policy, criticized by immigration advocates, was ended by the Biden administration in 2021.
Sources say Trump’s transition team is currently evaluating which facilities closed by the Biden administration could be reopened, considering available space in county jails and identifying areas that may need temporary detention centers to house immigrants. The team is also assessing the capacity of different regions, including Democratic-leaning cities, to hold migrants.
Cities with large immigrant populations, such as Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, may require new detention facilities nearby. Additionally, areas in the Northeast, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., could see new or expanded detention centers. A source close to the plans noted that sanctuary policies in Democratic cities should not hinder ICE’s efforts to expand detention capacity in those areas.
The details of the plan provide insight into Trump’s promise to carry out what he called the “largest deportation operation in American history.” Critics have raised concerns about the feasibility of the plan, citing potential challenges with funding, staffing, cooperation from other countries, and sufficient detention space.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, defended the plan, stating: “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver.”
In the meantime, two major private prison companies, GEO Group and CoreCivic, have seen significant increases in their stock prices since Trump’s election victory. GEO Group’s stock has risen by 69%, while CoreCivic’s has increased by 61%.
During an earnings call, GEO Group Executive Chairman George Zoley stated that the company is “built for this unique moment in our country’s history” and anticipates increased opportunities. GEO Group’s CEO Brian Evans added that the company is considering “a theoretical potential doubling of all of our services.”
CoreCivic’s CEO, Damon Hininger, mentioned that the company already has vacant beds available and is preparing to activate additional capacity. “We are taking proactive steps to make every bed available,” Hininger said, referring to approximately 18,000 vacant beds in the company’s system.
Related topics:
- How Trump’s New ‘Border Tsar’ Plans to Tackle Immigration
- Trump’s New Border Czar, Tom Homan, Unveils Bold Immigration Strategy
- Migrant Rights Advocates Sound the Alarm Over Trump’s Appointments
