Washington– Department of Homeland Security pauses Purchase new warehouses It aims to house migrants as it audits all contracts signed under the former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi NoemAccording to what a senior internal security official said.
The development comes just days after the new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullenwas sworn in last week to lead an oath that has been mired in controversy during Noem’s tenure but has also been central to President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. News of the pause was first reported by NBC News.
The official also said that warehouse purchases already made are also being examined.
When asked about reports of the pause, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement: “As with any transition, we are reviewing the agency’s policies and proposals.”
The department also noted that Mullen said during his confirmation hearing that he wanted to “work with community leaders” and “be good partners.”
Mullen She inherited a $38.3 billion plan To enhance detention capacity to 92,000 By acquiring eight large-scale detention centres, capable of holding between 7,000 and 10,000 detainees each, and 16 smaller regional processing centres.
The plan was put through Noem his term but immediately faced intense opposition across the country from residents and communities opposed to such large Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in their neighborhoods.
Many objected on moral grounds to the presence of ICE in their neighborhoods, while others questioned whether the facilities would drain local resources, such as sewer and water systems.
So far, 11 warehouses have been purchased in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah, with the federal government spending a combined $1.074 billion.
But lawsuits are still pending in three of the states. Meanwhile, at least one warehouse capacity has been reduced. Plans initially called for a warehouse in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise to be used as a 1,500-bed processing site, but DHS now plans to limit occupied beds to 542, Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartore said during a news conference Monday.
In many cases, mayors, county commissioners, governors and members of Congress learned of ICE’s ambitions only after the agency had purchased or leased space for detainees, leading to shock and frustration even in areas that supported Trump.
The warehouse plan faced challenges from the beginning. Eight deals were aborted in places like Kansas City, Missouri, when the owners decided not to sell.
Pressed about the lack of information during his confirmation hearing, Mullen acknowledged there were problems.
“We have to protect our homeland and we will do that,” Mullen said. “But obviously we want to work with community leaders.”
“The only thing I know how to do is construction,” said Mullen, who took over and expanded his family’s plumbing business before representing Oklahoma in the U.S. House and Senate.
He pointed out that most municipalities do not have the capacity in their infrastructure regarding waste and water.
“So, it’s important that we talk to communities, and if we have additional needs, we can work with cities,” he said at his confirmation hearing earlier this month.
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This story was first published on March 31, 2026. It was published again on April 1, 2026, to correct the last name of the mayor of Surprise, Arizona, is Sartore, not Sartre.
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Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri.