Trump administration buys two of California's largest immigrant detention centers

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has acquired two of California's largest immigrant detention facilities for $1.5 billion. This significant purchase is part of former President Donald Trump's broader strategy to escalate the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

The acquired facilities are the Otay Mesa Detention Center, situated near the California-Mexico border, and the California City Detention Center in Kern County. Both centers were previously owned by the private prison company CoreCivic. The Trump administration reportedly paid $739.2 million for the Otay Mesa facility, which has a capacity of 1,994 individuals, and $732.6 million for the California City center, a newer facility designed to hold 2,560 people. CoreCivic has indicated it expects to continue managing the daily operations of both centers under existing contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

This acquisition follows Congress's approval of a $70 billion Republican-backed spending package aimed at funding ICE, the Border Patrol, and other federal immigration agencies throughout the remainder of Trump's term. The purchase underscores a commitment to expanding detention capacity.

However, immigrant detention centers under the Trump administration have faced considerable public scrutiny. Reports of negligence and an increase in deaths among individuals in ICE custody have raised serious concerns. In the first six months of the year, 52 fatalities were reported. Furthermore, an analysis revealed that at least fifteen ICE detention centers, each housing 500 or more individuals, have not undergone inspections in the past year, despite allegations of irregularities from human rights groups. At least five centers reportedly have no inspection records at all.