The Trump administration is expanding plans to detain undocumented immigrants at military sites, beginning with a deportation hub at Fort Bliss, Texas, which could house up to 10,000 individuals. This marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement, utilizing military resources to address a shortage of detention space. The initiative aims to create a nationwide network of facilities across multiple states for processing deportations. Critics highlight concerns about the implications for military operations and past poor conditions for immigrants in such facilities. The administration seeks to enhance its mass deportation efforts amidst challenges in arresting sufficient numbers of individuals.
The administration under Trump is intensifying strategies to detain undocumented immigrants at military establishments throughout the United States, marking a substantial enhancement of the White House’s efforts to utilize wartime assets for fulfilling the president’s commitment to mass deportations.
President Trump’s administration is in the process of establishing a deportation center at Fort Bliss, located near El Paso, Texas, which could ultimately accommodate as many as 10,000 undocumented immigrants during their deportation proceedings, according to three officials acquainted with the project.
Fort Bliss is set to act as a prototype as the administration seeks to create additional detention centers on military locations nationwide — from Utah to areas near Niagara Falls — to potentially house thousands more individuals, compensating for a deficit in space at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, as stated by the officials who requested anonymity to share details of an initiative still in the early planning stages.
Prior administrations have previously detained certain immigrants at military bases, most recently unaccompanied minors who were later released into the U.S. to stay with family or friends. These bases acted as emergency backup when federal shelters for migrant children became overwhelmed.
However, the Trump administration’s strategy would broaden that practice by setting up a comprehensive system of military detention facilities for immigrants facing deportation. This initiative represents a significant escalation in the militarization of immigration enforcement, following Mr. Trump’s intention to increasingly rely on the Pentagon to stem immigration once he took office.
For Trump officials, this plan seeks to alleviate the lack of space for detaining the large volume of people they aim to arrest and deport. Nevertheless, it raises critical questions regarding the potential redirection of military resources and adjustments to training schedules. Military representatives indicate that the effects would depend on the volume of arrests and the duration for which detainees remain confined. Advocates for immigrants highlight a troubling history of inadequate conditions for individuals held in military facilities.
Gil Kerlikowske, the former Customs and Border Protection commissioner, remarked that military facilities are not structured for such projects.
“It’s beyond odd,” Mr. Kerlikowske stated. “Securing the people is labor intensive and it could also be resource intensive.”
The promise of mass deportation has become a cornerstone of Mr. Trump’s presidency, particularly after a campaign in which American voters across party lines shifted toward more conservative views on immigration.
Currently, the Pentagon has deployed 5,000 active duty soldiers and National Guard members to the southern border to aid the Border Patrol, with plans to double this figure in the upcoming weeks.
Additionally, a limited number of migrants have been flown to Guantánamo Bay, but all were transferred to other countries this week. The administration has released photographs and videos to promote Mr. Trump’s immigration restrictions, including close-ups of immigrants in shackles.
Nonetheless, the administration has not yet been making arrests at a rate sufficient to fill a nationwide network of military facilities. Between January 21 and February 13, ICE officers made over 15,000 arrests, per the Department of Homeland Security. This averages just under 700 arrests daily, which is more than double the typical rate in recent years, including during Biden’s administration, yet considerably below what White House officials envision.
It remains uncertain how many immigrants could be accommodated at various military bases, considering that the Trump administration will likely establish new tent encampments in surrounding areas. However, the plans to depend on military bases in over a dozen states would significantly broaden detention capabilities.
Certain military installations, such as Fort Bliss, are better suited for housing migrants as previous administrations have hosted migrants there before. However, an influx of thousands could challenge the facilities’ perimeter security capabilities. The military might need to bring in additional personnel at various bases, potentially hindering their routine tasks and training schedules.
Initially, officials expect to detain around 1,000 immigrants at Fort Bliss during the first phase of the detention expansion, though it could eventually accommodate many more. The Trump administration is already beginning to transfer individuals to Fort Bliss before deportation.
The White House directed media inquiries regarding the plan to the Defense and Homeland Security Departments, which did not provide responses. On Thursday, Stephen Miller, Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of staff, highlighted the president’s determination to continue utilizing Defense Department resources for immigration enforcement.
“He has opened up Guantánamo Bay and he’s employing military aircraft to conduct deportations across the country,” Mr. Miller stated during a White House briefing. “You do not come here illegally. You will not be permitted to enter.”
The Trump administration chose Fort Bliss as the initial site for the expansion following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to troops stationed there earlier this month.
In response to inquiries regarding plans for detaining migrants and deportees at U.S. military bases, along with the related expenses, Mr. Hegseth stated: “Any assets required by the Defense Department to assist in expelling and detaining those illegally in our country are available.”
Once the administration concludes its evaluation of detentions at Fort Bliss over the next couple of months, it may begin the process of detaining migrants at other military facilities, including Air Force bases near the border and eventually throughout the country as needed. These facilities are located in Florida, New Jersey, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Wyoming, Washington, Northern California, and near Niagara Falls in upstate New York.
The Trump administration faces a shortage of detention beds for immigrants due to constrained budget resources. Consequently, ICE has typically held around 40,000 individuals in private prisons and local jails nationwide in recent weeks, a decrease from the initial Trump administration, where the agency hosted more than 50,000 in ICE facilities. The use of military resources and facilities nationwide offers the agency readily available beds for immigrants immediately following their arrest by ICE agents.
“They’re running out of existing ICE facilities, they’re running out of bed space,” noted Theresa Cardinal Brown, a former policy adviser for Customs and Border Protection.
Detaining migrants at sites like Fort Bliss has previously drawn scrutiny regarding the federal government’s treatment of immigrants.
After the Biden administration accommodated thousands of migrant children at the facility, a government watchdog from the Department of Health and Human Services found that children and teenagers experienced distress and panic attacks due to insufficient resources and training among officials. Some migrants were held for two months before being released in the United States. Former U.S. immigration officials have expressed concerns that the administration’s plan to utilize military bases could set a precedent for prolonged detention of migrants.
Currently, Trump administration officials state they intend to use the bases as temporary holding facilities before proceeding with deportations.
Reyes Mata III contributed reporting from the U.S.-Mexico border, and Helene Cooper from Washington.