ICE Detention Facility Acquisition Tracker

Los Cerritos Community News has launched a new ongoing public-interest resource tracking the purchase and attempted acquisition of buildings by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security for use as immigrant detention or processing facilities across the United States.

The ICE Detention Facility Acquisition Tracker documents confirmed real estate transactions and documented attempts based on reporting from established news organizations and verification through public records, including property deeds and official government statements. Each entry includes the city and state, a brief summary of the transaction or proposal, the reporting outlet, and a direct link to the source material.

In recent months, news outlets across the country have reported on federal agencies quietly purchasing or pursuing large warehouse and industrial properties for detention use, often without advance notice to local governments or residents. The new tracker is designed to centralize those reports in one place and provide readers with a clear, factual record of where and how detention infrastructure is expanding through real estate acquisitions.

The tracker will be updated on an ongoing basis as new purchases or attempts are reported. Only verified transactions or documented acquisition efforts are included, and speculation or unconfirmed proposals are excluded. The goal, according to LCCN, is to provide transparency and context rather than commentary.

Methodology / Standards
Inclusion criteria:
• A completed purchase or a documented attempt to acquire a building by ICE or DHS
• Credible reporting by a recognized news outlet and/or confirmation through public records
• Intended use as an immigration detention or processing facility

Exclusions:
• Rumors, speculation, or unverified claims
• Facilities operated solely by private contractors without ICE/DHS acquisition involvement
• Longstanding detention centers not tied to recent real estate activity

Listings are presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent activity appearing first.

FEBRUARY 10, 2026

📍 Socorro, Texas ✅
Public records confirm the Department of Homeland Security purchased a warehouse property for more than $122 million for use as an immigrant detention center, raising concerns from local officials about transparency and lack of advance notice.
Source: KFOX14
🔗 https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/dhs-purchase-of-socorro-property-for-detention-center-raises-transparency-concerns-mayor-rudy-cruz-jr-lack-of-transparency-answers-ice-department-of-homeland-security-el-paso-county-officials-immigration-migrant

📍 Surprise, Arizona ✅
DHS purchased a 418,000-square-foot warehouse for more than $70 million that is slated for conversion into an immigration processing and detention facility, according to deed records and city confirmation.
Source: Axios Phoenix
🔗 https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/02/04/dhs-surprise-warehouse-immigration-detention

📍 San Antonio, Texas ✅
ICE confirmed it purchased an East Side industrial facility for approximately $66.1 million that will be used to hold immigrant detainees, prompting opposition from city leaders and residents.
Source: KSAT
🔗 https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2026/02/05/ice-purchases-east-side-facility-to-hold-immigrant-detainees-agency-confirms/

📍 Upper Bern Township (Berks County), Pennsylvania ✅
Deed records show ICE and DHS purchased a 518,000-square-foot warehouse that may be converted into a large-scale immigration detention facility as part of a national expansion.
Source: Spotlight PA
🔗 https://www.spotlightpa.org/berks/2026/02/ice-warehouse-berks-county-purchase-federal-government/

📍 Hagerstown Area, Maryland ✅
Public records show DHS purchased an 825,000-square-foot warehouse for more than $102 million, raising questions about its intended use as an immigration detention facility.
Source: WYPR
🔗 https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2026-01-27/dhs-buys-warehouse-in-maryland-to-possibly-hold-detained-immigrants

📍 Social Circle, Georgia ✅
Federal officials purchased an industrial warehouse at 1365 E. Hightower Trail that local officials say is intended to be converted into an ICE detention facility.
Source: FOX 5 Atlanta
🔗 https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/feds-buy-social-circle-facility-new-ice-detention-center-officials-say

📍 Chester, New York 🟡
DHS is attempting to purchase a warehouse in the Village of Chester that would function as an ICE processing facility capable of holding up to 1,500 people, according to reporting and local officials.
Source: Associated Press
🔗 https://apnews.com/article/ice-immigration-detention-warehouse-chester-new-york-0e9b9e3e44d63f9d7c8b2c2a66d3e6d6

📍 Kansas City, Missouri ❌
Federal officials toured a south Kansas City warehouse being considered for use as an ICE detention facility, but negotiations were terminated after local opposition and a city moratorium.
Source: KCUR
🔗 https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-02-09/kansas-city-agency-cuts-ties-with-company-selling-warehouse-for-ice-detention-center