Inspector General Looking Into ICE Detention Center Deals

The controversial warehouse detention center plan instituted by former Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem is drawing scrutiny from the agency’s own inspector general.

The DHS inspector general initiated a probe into the $38 billion program, the Wall Street Journal reported. The inspector general is expected to audit all of the warehouse purchases by the agency during Noem’s stewardship of DHS.

The agency pulled approximately $38 billion in funding for the program from Congress through the One Big Beautiful Bill. So far, the agency appears to have spent $1 billion purchasing nine facilities for detention centers.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is under the DHS umbrella, purchased nearly a dozen vacant warehouses over the span of a couple of months in the winter. Noem and top adviser Corey Lewandowski pushed for the properties to be converted into detention centers by the end of this year.

That process has been complicated by a number of factors. Critically, most of the properties being acquired weren’t properly zoned for the job under local jurisdiction. That meant there were going to be problems securing working plumbing and other basic needs to run such a facility where a warehouse once stood.

Critics have argued that ICE would’ve been better off buying vacant public and private jails, eliminating the need to jump through the hoops the warehouses have created.

It’s unclear what consequences could arise from the inspector general investigation. The program was already paused by Markwayne Mullin, who took over the agency in March. Noem’s ouster came as DHS already faced scrutiny for contracts related to its operations and alleged misuse of funds.

ICE detention centers remain a flashpoint across the United States.

This week, a controversial ICE detention center project in Roxbury Township, New Jersey, was put on hold after the federal government and the state reached an agreement to conduct an environmental review following a lawsuit.

Opponents, including Governor Mikie Sherrill, argued the federal government violated the National Environmental Policy Act by not preparing an impact statement; the state alleges the retrofitting would damage local water systems.

The federal government will conduct an environmental assessment and the state has noted its intent to return to court immediately if DHS chooses to proceed after the review.

— Holden Walter-Warner