Homeland Security Scales Back Immigration Detention Centers Amid Pushback
Federal officials retreat on detention center plans as cities cut water supplies and states demand compensation for controversial immigration facilities.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The Department of Homeland Security is scaling back and postponing several controversial warehouse immigration detention centers as states and cities mount resistance and new Secretary Markwayne Mullin reviews actions taken by his ousted predecessor, Kristi Noem.
The changes come as the department faces a continued funding shutdown that has reached 60 days, prompting more communication and compromise between federal officials and local governments opposing the facilities.
Scaled Back Plans in Multiple States
In Arizona, DHS agreed to reduce the number of detainees at a proposed detention center by two-thirds and pay the city for lost taxes. Maryland officials received a similar offer from the department for their proposed facility, though a lawsuit is currently blocking construction work on that center.
The most dramatic resistance occurred in Georgia, where the city of Social Circle locked the water meter at a wastewater treatment facility to prevent a warehouse conversion that would house up to 10,000 immigration detainees. The action forced DHS to consider trucking out sewage and bringing in water to the proposed site.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, visited the Social Circle wastewater treatment facility in March. City officials argued the facility would be overwhelmed by the massive detention center plans.
Leadership Change Brings New Approach
Mullin’s appointment as Homeland Security Secretary has brought a shift in approach from the Noem era, with the department now reviewing contracts and engaging in more dialogue with local communities. The leadership change comes as the Trump administration faces mounting opposition to its immigration detention expansion plans.
States and cities have increasingly fought back against the warehouse detention centers, citing concerns about infrastructure capacity, public safety, and community impact. The funding shutdown has further complicated implementation of the detention center network.
One North Carolina proposal involved housing up to 1,500 immigrants, though details about the specific location and current status of that plan were not immediately available. The scaling back of detention centers represents a shift from the aggressive expansion initially planned under the previous leadership.
