Miami (USA), July 29 (EFE) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking to add at least 5,500 detention beds in Miami, Denver, Seattle, and Philadelphia. This move, revealed in a public government document, comes amidst a record number of migrant arrests during Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Rapid Expansion and “Turnkey” Facilities
The document, available on the government’s public information site SAM.gov, is seeking providers who can add a minimum of 1,500 beds in Denver, 700 in Miami, 1,500 in Seattle, and 1,800 in Philadelphia for men and women detained by ICE. Crucially, contractors must be able to provide these beds within a timeframe of 30 days after winning the contract.
The federal agency is specifically looking for existing “turnkey” facilities so it can transfer migrants quickly. However, it is also accepting proposals for existing sites that require remodeling, as well as newly constructed centers.
“The proposed locations and contractor operators must be able to provide housing, medical and mental health care services, transportation, custody services, food service, and detention services for individuals in ICE custody,” the official notice states. Furthermore, the announcement adds that the facilities should ideally have the capacity for a “high level of security” and exclusively house ICE detainees.
Record High Apprehensions Drive Demand
This notice is published following a record number of migrant apprehensions in June, with more than 43,000 individuals detained by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This represents the highest number of arrests since the beginning of the second Trump Administration in January 2025.
According to the TRAC-Immigration project at Syracuse University, which is based on official data, this surge means that as of July, there are over 65,000 migrants in ICE and CBP detention sites. This is a staggering 65% increase compared to the nearly 39,000 detainees recorded at the start of Trump’s second presidency.
The Push for Private Contractors
The current administration has aggressively sought out more private contractors to fulfill its mass deportation campaign. However, the reliance on private detention is a continuing trend; at the end of Joe Biden’s presidency (2021-2025), 86% of those detained by ICE were already in sites managed by for-profit companies, according to TRAC-Immigration.
In its push for increased capacity, the current federal administration has actively sought to detain migrants in unconventional locations, including warehouses, former military camps, and new sites such as the ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ center west of Miami, which was recently closed in July.
If you or a loved one is facing detention or deportation proceedings, time is of the essence. Contact our immigration defense team today for a consultation to understand your rights and legal options.
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