Fox News obtained an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memorandum dated February 13 that details plans to increase nationwide detention capacity to 92,600 beds—up from the current funded level of about 38,000. (foxnews.com)
The blueprint calls for eight new “mega-centers,” each able to hold 10,000 detainees, plus 16 regional processing sites and the purchase of ten turnkey facilities by November 2026. ICE says the build-out is necessary to “effectuate mass deportations” anticipated under stepped-up interior-enforcement priorities announced last month. The memo also references the hiring of 12,000 additional Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.
Amid this shifting enforcement landscape, corporate mobility managers may benefit from outside compliance support. VisaHQ, for example, streamlines visa processing, offers status-tracking dashboards, and provides document-retention guidance that can help HR teams keep meticulous records for employees on L-1, TN, OPT and other statuses—crucial safeguards as ICE audits intensify. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
![ICE memo outlines US $38.3 billion expansion to 92,600 detention beds, eight mega-centers]()
Civil-liberties groups condemned the proposal, warning that past large-scale detention complexes were plagued by medical-care lapses and cost overruns. Business coalitions are watching the funding mechanism—dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—because House versions pair detention money with steep employer penalties for Form I-9 errors and a mandatory 48-hour hold for any non-citizen arrested by local police.
For global-mobility teams, the prospect of more expansive interior enforcement means renewed diligence on right-to-work audits, especially in jurisdictions that cooperate with ICE detainers. Companies relying on L-1, TN or OPT talent should ensure records are immaculate, as ERO agents increasingly visit worksites when executing removal orders.
The mega-center plan still requires congressional appropriations and local zoning approvals, setting the stage for politically charged hearings in border-state legislatures over the next few months.
The blueprint calls for eight new “mega-centers,” each able to hold 10,000 detainees, plus 16 regional processing sites and the purchase of ten turnkey facilities by November 2026. ICE says the build-out is necessary to “effectuate mass deportations” anticipated under stepped-up interior-enforcement priorities announced last month. The memo also references the hiring of 12,000 additional Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.
Amid this shifting enforcement landscape, corporate mobility managers may benefit from outside compliance support. VisaHQ, for example, streamlines visa processing, offers status-tracking dashboards, and provides document-retention guidance that can help HR teams keep meticulous records for employees on L-1, TN, OPT and other statuses—crucial safeguards as ICE audits intensify. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
Civil-liberties groups condemned the proposal, warning that past large-scale detention complexes were plagued by medical-care lapses and cost overruns. Business coalitions are watching the funding mechanism—dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—because House versions pair detention money with steep employer penalties for Form I-9 errors and a mandatory 48-hour hold for any non-citizen arrested by local police.
For global-mobility teams, the prospect of more expansive interior enforcement means renewed diligence on right-to-work audits, especially in jurisdictions that cooperate with ICE detainers. Companies relying on L-1, TN or OPT talent should ensure records are immaculate, as ERO agents increasingly visit worksites when executing removal orders.
The mega-center plan still requires congressional appropriations and local zoning approvals, setting the stage for politically charged hearings in border-state legislatures over the next few months.
