GAO Review Finds ICE Spent Heavily on Detention Expansion Before Changing Course, Leaving Millions in Nonrecoverable Costs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spent approximately $1.07 billion purchasing 11 warehouses for detention facilities, only to move toward selling seven of them months later, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The GAO stated that ICE pursued the expansion without sufficient planning, already incurring roughly $7.7 million in nonrecoverable costs for the seven properties. Additionally, ICE estimated that as of August, it had spent about $12.8 million on utilities, security, and other services across those seven locations.
ICE Purchased 11 Warehouses and Plans to Sell 7
Between January and April 2026, ICE acquired 11 warehouses as part of an initiative to expand its detention capacity, initially planning to open 24 warehouse facilities by November 2026. However, by June, ICE officials informed the GAO that they were working with the General Services Administration (GSA) to sell seven of the properties, which had originally cost about $707 million to purchase.
The GAO warned that the federal government could face further financial losses if the properties sell for less than their purchase prices. Furthermore, the agency incurred $113 million and $313 million for renovation work at warehouses in Hagerstown, Maryland, and Surprise, Arizona, respectively. Work at both sites has been largely paused due to legal challenges.
Unused Tents and Unwanted Meals
The warehouse expenditures were part of a broader pattern of waste identified by the GAO across six detention expansion initiatives launched since January 2025:
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Guantanamo Bay: The Department of Defense spent $2.85 million assembling tents that were never used. Plans for a much larger detention operation at the site were scaled back after officials determined building facilities up to ICE standards was unfeasible.
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Fort Bliss, Texas (Camp East Montana): ICE paid approximately $7.1 million for unneeded meals between October 2025 and March 2026 due to contract terms requiring payment regardless of whether facility populations fell below capacity.
GAO Calls for Faster Strategic Planning
The GAO highlighted that ICE failed to develop a comprehensive strategic plan outlining goals, key activities, and resource requirements for its detention capacity expansion. The agency also inconsistently evaluated the costs and risks of different facility options.
While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed with the GAO’s recommendation that ICE establish a comprehensive plan, ICE noted it does not expect to complete it until August 31, 2027. The GAO urged a faster timetable to prevent continued financial waste across ICE’s multibillion-dollar detention expansion programs and raised broader questions regarding how federal agencies plan large-scale spending initiatives before committing public funds.