U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has closed on two more acquisitions of warehouses built for e-commerce that it plans to convert into large-scale detention facilities.
Its acquisition spree — part of a $38.3B push to build out a 92,600-bed, government-owned detention network — has now reached 10 properties, for which it paid more than $800M combined.
One seller’s explanation for executing its deal raises the specter that the government is leveraging the threat of eminent domain to get deals across the finish line amid bipartisan pushback over plans to turn industrial properties into large-scale jails.