Federal government to sell Texas warehouses once planned as ICE detention centers
The fence of the US-Mexico border is seen in Socorro, Texas, on January 22, 2025. On his first day back in office US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border "to repel the disastrous invasion of our country." (Photo
Texas congresswoman Veronica Escobar said the federal government was planning to sell three warehouses outside of El Paso that were originally intended to be used as detention centers for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
What we know:
The federal government purchased the warehouses in Socorro last year for nearly $123 million to convert them into detention centers that would hold up to 8,500 immigrants awaiting deportation.
Escobar on Tuesday said the warehouses were transferred to the General Services Administration.
What they're saying:
"This means the warehouses will be put up for sale, and they will no longer be used by the federal government for detention purposes," Escobar said.
Escobar said the decision for ICE to leave the area would help the community with its plans to grow.
"The community of Socorro has been working on an economic development vision and plan to grow their economy while embracing their rich history," Escobar said. "The community has also faced challenges with water, wastewater, and general infrastructure, making the purchase of these facilities for detention a terrible idea to begin with, threatening their ability to execute on their future plans and growth."
Federal government plans to sell 7 of 11 sites purchased
The backstory:
Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noam spent over $1 billion dollars purchasing warehouses in 11 cities as part of a $38 billion plan to rapidly expand detention capabilities.
In June, the New York Times reported that plans were in motion to sell seven of the 11 warehouses, including the Socorro site.
A DHS spokesperson at the time said they were "moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners," according to the Associated Press.
After Noam was fired and Markwayne Mullin took over the role, the agency paused the purchase of additional warehouses to review the contracts of those that were already purchased by the agency.
Dig deeper:
Immigration officials still own a warehouse in San Antonio.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Rep. Veronica Escobar, the Associated Press and previous FOX Local reporting.