DHS to offload El Paso warehouses bought for migrant detention

The Department of Homeland Security disclosed plans to sell three warehouses in El Paso County that were bought last year for $123 million to convert into a detention hub for more than 8,000 migrants. Representative Veronica Escobar said the sites will be transferred to the U.S. General Services Administration, which will place them on the market and cease any federal detention use. This sale is part of Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s broader initiative to unwind warehouse acquisitions made during Kristi Noem’s tenure, a policy that sparked legal challenges and opposition from both parties.

Critics, including local leaders and environmental groups, argued the desert town of Socorro lacked the water and infrastructure to support such a large detainee population. In recent talks with acting ICE Director David Venturella, officials agreed to scale back the intended detainee count and repurpose the buildings for training and office space. Meanwhile, DHS is pursuing a separate plan to add a modular unit at the existing El Paso Service Processing Center to increase capacity.