US rushes to build tent camps for migrants after getting an extra $45 billion, according to the WSJ
The Wall Street Journal said on Saturday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is rushing to construct migrant tent camps across the country with $45 billion in fresh funds, with the goal of increasing the number of detention beds from 40,000 to 100,000 by the end of the year.
According to the story, which cited papers obtained by WSJ, the agency is giving priority to large-scale tent facilities at military bases and ICE jails, including a 5,000-bed facility at Fort Bliss in Texas and others in Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey.
A senior ICE source told Reuters that the “process does include housing detainees at certain military bases” and that “ICE is pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity.”
The study stated that senior U.S. Homeland Security officials, such as U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have indicated a preference for detention facilities operated by Republican states and local governments over private prison corporations.
Details of the plan to increase detention capacity were not confirmed by the agency.
Noem stated last week that she was in negotiations with five states governed by Republicans to construct additional detention facilities modeled after Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” prison.
At a press conference in Florida, Noem stated, “We’ve had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model for how they can partner with us,” without mentioning any of the states.
