Trump Eyes Doubling Immigration Detention Beds in $45B Expansion Plan

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Trump Eyes Doubling Immigration Detention Beds in $45B Expansion Plan/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration plans a dramatic expansion of the U.S. immigration detention system, aiming to more than double its capacity to 100,000 beds. This move, part of Trump’s mass deportation agenda, could generate billions for private prison firms. Critics warn it isolates detainees, restricts legal access, and worsens already inhumane conditions.

The Department of Homeland Security’s ICE detention facility is shown in Jena, La., on Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

Immigration Detention Surge – Quick Look

Trump administration plans to expand ICE detention capacity from 41,000 to 100,000 beds
Contracts worth up to $45 billion have been offered to private prison companies
Louisiana now ranks #2 nationally in detention bed space after Texas
ICE director compares new plan to Amazon delivery logistics for deportations
New facilities built far from legal aid and support networks, raising due process concerns
Fort Bliss, TX and Jena, LA among key locations for new or expanded centers
Private prison stocks like Geo Group and CoreCivic soar after expansion news
Critics say this is part of a deliberate strategy to speed deportations and deter resistance

The Central Louisiana ICE processing facility in Jena, La., where Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil is being held, is shown Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

Trump’s Immigration Detention Plan Could Reshape U.S. Enforcement Landscape

Deep Looks

JENA, La. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is pushing to dramatically scale up the U.S. immigration detention system, with plans to increase bed capacity from roughly 41,000 to 100,000. The expansion is part of a broader agenda to execute mass deportations and ramp up enforcement, a centerpiece of Trump’s 2024 campaign.

If enacted, this would represent the largest expansion of immigration detention in U.S. history, with contracts worth up to $45 billion offered to private companies. The administration has already begun awarding lucrative deals, even as funding legislation remains pending in Congress.

Deportations “Like Amazon Deliveries,” ICE Chief Says

ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons told a border security summit in Phoenix that the agency aims to improve efficiency and scalability.

“We need to get better at treating this like a business,” said Lyons. “Like Amazon, trying to get your product delivered in 24 hours. … Except we’re dealing with human beings, sending them all over the globe.”

Billions in Contracts Already Awarded

ICE recently awarded:

$3.85 billion to Deployed Resources LLC for a detention center at Fort Bliss, Texas
$1 billion to the Geo Group for a Newark, NJ center with 1,000 beds
Additional contracts to Geo and CoreCivic for facilities in Michigan and Dilley, Texas with family housing

Since Trump’s re-election, CoreCivic stock is up 62%, and Geo Group shares have surged 94%, highlighting investor confidence in government immigration enforcement.

Louisiana: The New Detention Frontier

Though not a border state, Louisiana now ranks second nationally for detention space, behind only Texas. ICE has transformed former jails in rural parishes into detention hubs. With fewer immigrants and a history of incarceration infrastructure, Louisiana became an ideal site for the expansion.

“Because Louisiana was a top incarcerator, it had the prison infrastructure ready to convert,” said Nora Ahmed, ACLU of Louisiana Legal Director.

In 2019 alone, ICE repurposed five closed criminal jails in the state.

Isolation From Lawyers and Family

The majority of Louisiana’s nine immigration detention centers are hours away from cities like New Orleans or Baton Rouge. Critics say this makes it harder for detainees to access legal aid or family support — a feature, not a flaw, of the system.

“ICE gets to choose the courts where their cases are heard by locating detention centers in certain places,” said Mary Yanik, co-director of Tulane’s Immigrant Rights Clinic.

“Isolation leads people to abandon their cases, making deportation easier,” added Carly Pérez Fernández of Detention Watch Network.

Jena Detention Center: Symbol of the New Regime

In Jena, Louisiana — a remote town of just 4,200 — ICE operates a heavily guarded facility under contract with the Geo Group. Surrounded by razor wire, “No Trespassing” signs, and remote from any legal network, the center exemplifies the administration’s strategy of geographic isolation.

Courts by Video, Justice at a Distance

Video conferencing has increased since the pandemic, with immigration courts using remote systems for hearings. But immigration attorneys warn the tech can dehumanize detainees and limit fair trials.

“For substantive hearings, we still prefer to be in the room,” said Homero Lopez, whose group provides free legal services to Louisiana detainees. “These are high-stakes decisions — people’s lives are on the line.”

Political and Legal Pushback

The House recently passed a $175 billion enforcement bill, 22 times ICE’s current budget. But legal advocates are mobilizing nationally. On Thursday, the Detention Watch Network led coordinated protests at detention centers across the country.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called the expansion plan “a morally indefensible use of taxpayer money,” warning it undermines due process and human rights.