ICE Reportedly Plans to Sell 7 Warehouses Bought for Mass Detention
The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly looking to sell at least seven warehouse facilities it purchased to use as mass immigration detention centers, including a $145 million site in Salt Lake City and two Pennsylvania warehouses bought together for nearly $207 million. The New York Times first reported the reversal on June 18, 2026. Times reporter Hamed Aleaziz confirmed on social media that the Salt Lake City facility is on the list.
$352 million
Combined cost of just three of the seven warehouses ICE reportedly plans to sell, all of which sat largely unused after purchase.
That figure covers only the facilities with confirmed prices. DHS has not publicly confirmed the sales, but its statement to multiple outlets signals a shift in strategy.
“DHS is moving swiftly to use EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.”
DHS unsigned statement, provided to Utah News Dispatch and Pennsylvania Capital-Star, June 18, 2026
Months of Inactivity Preceded the Reported Reversal
The Salt Lake City warehouse, at more than 830,000 square feet, was purchased days after former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was removed from her position. In the more than three months since the purchase, federal officials made no visible moves to convert the site. The most activity at the location, according to Utah News Dispatch, occurred during community protests and in a back lot used by a neighboring business for storage.
The two Pennsylvania sites tell a similar story. The former Big Lots distribution center in Tremont Township, Schuylkill County, covers 1.3 million square feet and was planned to hold 7,500 people. A second site in Upper Bern Township, Berks County, spans 520,000 square feet with a planned capacity of 1,500.
Local Governments Filed Lawsuits Before the Reported Reversal
Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County sued DHS earlier in June 2026 over the planned warehouse conversion. The lawsuit argues the facility, designed to house up to 10,000 people, would strain water and sewer infrastructure, worsen air quality, and tax local law enforcement. A spokesperson for Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the city had not been notified of any change in ICE’s plans as of June 18. A separate lawsuit was being prepared by the Uproar Utah advocacy group, according to attorney James McConkie.
As of this writing, DHS has not confirmed it will sell any of the seven sites. The agency’s statement signals a preference for partnering with existing state and county detention facilities rather than building out new large-scale ones.
What You Can Do Now
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Call your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121 and demand a Government Accountability Office audit of DHS warehouse purchases. At least $352 million was spent on facilities that went unused, and Congress has oversight authority over DHS spending.
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Contact the House Homeland Security Committee by calling the main House switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and asking to be connected. Request that the committee hold hearings on the warehouse purchase program before any sales proceed without public accounting.
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If you are in Utah, call Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office at (801) 535-7704 and ask for updates on the city’s ongoing lawsuit against DHS. The lawsuit is still active as of June 18, 2026, and public pressure helps municipal attorneys document community opposition.
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If you are in Pennsylvania, contact your state legislators at legis.state.pa.us and ask them to request a full accounting from DHS of the nearly $207 million spent on the Berks and Schuylkill County sites, including any proceeds from a potential sale and where those funds go.