Trump administration needs more detention facilities for illegal immigrants

President Donald Trump took office in January with a mandate from the American people to secure our southern border, enforce our laws, and deport the illegal immigrants already present in this country. By most measures, he is already delivering on that promise. Unfortunately, open borders advocates are trying to stand in the way of the president’s agenda by blocking the use of additional detention facilities which they have wrongly labeled as unnecessary, dangerous, and inhumane.

As a former acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, I can tell you that this is a false narrative. The simple truth is that the federal government needs more detention facilities, not less.

As of last week, arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during President Trump’s second term topped 100,000, and ICE had over 54,000 individuals detained, more than 25% above the 41,000 detention beds funded by Congress. Without more detention facilities, ICE would have no choice but to release detainees, which would present grave dangers to the public.

ICE FORCED TO RELEASE SOME ILLEGAL MIGRANTS WHO COULD POSE DANGER TO AMERICANS: IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY

Part of the solution is to maximize the capacity of already existing facilities. Many facilities have more room that could be used, but currently is not, in part, because of limits on detention beds set by Congress.

At the same time, the scale of illegal immigration underlines the urgent need for expanded capacity as well. White House Border Czar Tom Homan has asked Congress to fund a record-high 100,000 detention beds. Congress should fulfill that request and exempt ICE facilities from state regulation.

Many reporters have presented unverified or unverifiable claims about the “dangers” of immigration detention facilities as if they are facts. They are not. Some “journalists” and op-ed columnists have generalized from anecdotes, while others have implied things that are simply false. But the facts are clear: immigration detention facilities are necessary — and, more often than not, they house public safety and national security threats.

ICE prioritizes sending those who pose a threat to public safety to these facilities. The majority of detainees in these detention facilities are convicted criminals.

Some Republicans may want tougher immigration policies, and some Democrats may want better conditions for detainees. Congress should consider proposals from both sides. Still, whatever one’s views on politics or immigration policy, everyone should agree that now is the time for more detention bed funding, not less — because without more funds, conditions cannot improve for those housed there.

Some take umbrage with the fact that the government contracts with private companies, not just state and local officials, to help meet the significant demands for detention beds. This concern is also misplaced.

It makes even more sense than usual to use private facilities, as ICE needs to “flex up fast” if it’s going to get its deportation numbers up. I would note that administrations from both parties have turned to privately-owned detention facilities and hired private contractors to run government-owned facilities for speed, cost, and experience. While the media may have just begun noticing this now, that doesn’t change the fact that these contractors have been doing this work for decades — well before the Trump administration took office. No one is more experienced or qualified to perform this job, and that is exactly what taxpayers should want.

Lastly, critics are quick to label these facilities as inhumane. They are far from that. 

Detention facilities are not prisons, nor are they intended to punish. They are also not meant to be luxury hotels or permanent residences. There are certain standards that facilities are required to meet to secure and fulfill their contracts. The contractors who operate them have highly professional employees, many of whom are veterans, and follow established protocols to manage even the most challenging situations.

For example, facilities must provide English-limited detainees with certain translation services. They must provide detainees with food, toiletries and daily opportunities for recreation outside of their rooms, including the use of exercise equipment.

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Detainees are given free medications as necessary, free medical care that is generally of a much higher quality than they would receive in their own countries, and whether anyone likes it or not, they have access to pro bono legal assistance.

Despite a massive influx of illegal immigrants in recent years, detention facilities maintain living standards that are, in many cases, better living conditions than the deportees ever knew in their own countries — and they do so at no expense to the deportee.

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People are entitled to their own beliefs about immigration policy; however, the law requires the deportation of those here unlawfully. Carrying out this provision of law would be impossible without the use of detention facilities, as has been done humanely and professionally for decades.

Given the sheer number of deportable illegal immigrants inside our borders at the moment, we need federal access to more local, state, and private detention facilities. Now is the time to expand their use. Public safety and respect for our laws demand it.