Deaths in Detention: ICE Is Rapidly Expanding Detention Camps into Warehouses Despite Record Deaths

An ACLU analysis documents that ICE is converting more than 20 warehouses into detention facilities under a “Detention Re-engineering Initiative,” aiming to expand custody capacity to 96,600 people through a hub-and-spoke model anchored by eight large-scale centers. The report ties the buildout to the 17th in-custody death of 2026 — roughly one every six days — with deaths at Fort Bliss, Florence Correctional Center, and Adelanto resulting from homicide, untreated infections, and delayed emergency care. It cites a Maryland warehouse purchased for $102.4 million (appraised at $76.8 million) and proposed Georgia facilities with minimal accessibility accommodations for medically vulnerable detainees as examples of the rapid, costly expansion.