Trump Admin to Build 5,000-Person Immigration Detention Camp in Texas/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S. government has announced a $232 million contract to build a 5,000-bed immigration detention facility in West Texas. The project expands capacity for single adult detainees amid President Trump’s aggressive deportation plans. The announcement follows a wave of new funding for border enforcement under recently passed legislation.
Immigration Crackdown Intensifies: Quick Looks
- New 5,000-bed facility announced for West Texas, near El Paso
- $232 million contract awarded to Virginia-based firm Acquisition Logistics
- Facility designated for single adult immigrants detained by ICE
- Referred to as “soft-sided”, indicating tent-style temporary housing
- Trump administration’s enforcement law allocates $170 billion for border security
- ICE funding set to balloon to $76.5 billion over five years
- Comes weeks after “Alligator Alcatraz” camp opened in Florida
- Facility to be located near Ft. Bliss, a large Army base
- Part of Trump’s pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants
- Illegal border crossings have recently dropped, but detentions are increasing
Deep Look: Texas to Host 5,000-Person Immigration Detention Camp Amid Record Enforcement Push
EL PASO, Texas — In a sweeping move to expand federal immigration enforcement infrastructure, the U.S. government has greenlit the construction of a 5,000-person detention center for immigrants in West Texas, according to new contract filings released this week.
The $232 million contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics, a Virginia-based firm, through Department of Defense funds. The camp will be erected near El Paso and used to detain single adult immigrants. Procurement documents describe the center as a “soft-sided facility,” a term frequently used to refer to large-scale, tent-based camps capable of rapid deployment and expansion.
This latest development significantly boosts the Trump administration’s capacity to detain individuals as it pursues mass deportations and enforces a hardline immigration agenda. The project follows on the heels of a similar detention expansion in Florida—nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”—built in an isolated stretch of the Everglades earlier this summer.
Detention Expansion Backed by Massive Budget
The new Texas facility is part of a broader enforcement strategy backed by President Donald Trump’s recently signed immigration law, which earmarks $170 billion over the next decade for border and immigration initiatives. Of that total, $45 billion is designated for detention infrastructure, with ICE’s annual budget set to swell nearly tenfold to $76.5 billion over five years.
Despite a noticeable drop in illegal border crossings, federal agencies are doubling down on detention and deportation efforts, signaling a shift toward long-term, high-capacity incarceration of undocumented immigrants already living in the U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the administration’s focus on enforcement in a recent press briefing, stating:
“We are building the infrastructure necessary to execute the president’s vision for lawful immigration. This is just the beginning.”
Facility Site: Strategic and Symbolic
The facility is slated to be built in El Paso, a key border city and home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest U.S. Army bases, stretching across both Texas and New Mexico. The location allows for strategic logistical support and access to existing military resources, which the Trump administration has increasingly tapped for immigration operations.
The choice of location also sends a political message. El Paso has been a focal point of past border policy clashes and immigrant rights demonstrations, and the construction of such a large facility near its borders is likely to fuel further debate.
Political Backlash and Concerns
Immigrant advocacy groups and civil rights organizations have sharply criticized the move, warning that massive “soft-sided” detention camps may lead to deteriorating living conditions, reduced oversight, and potential human rights violations.
“There’s no due process in a tent city,” said Marisol Chavez, a Texas-based immigration attorney. “Mass incarceration of vulnerable people is not a solution—it’s a moral and legal disaster waiting to happen.”
The administration has brushed off criticism, framing the expansion as both necessary and overdue. Trump has repeatedly emphasized his goal of deporting “millions” of undocumented immigrants, and the new facility offers a clear step toward enabling such efforts on a larger scale.
Recent History: From Policy to Action
The announcement comes shortly after the high-profile construction of the Florida Everglades detention facility, hastily built on an isolated airstrip and surrounded by swampland. That camp drew national headlines for its speed of development and remote location, earning the nickname “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Together, the Florida and Texas facilities represent a shift away from decentralized, small-scale detention centers toward centralized, high-capacity complexes capable of holding thousands for extended periods.
While immigration enforcement under Trump’s first term focused on border wall construction and Title 42 expulsions, his second term appears centered on infrastructure-driven deportation logistics: mass detentions, administrative removals, and expanded ICE authority.
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