DHS pauses plans to buy warehouses for immigrant detention

Source: NBC News

March 31, 2026, 4:08 PM EDT


The Department of Homeland Security is pausing plans to buy more warehouses to detain immigrants, according to two senior DHS officials who stressed the decision may only be temporary.

The two officials said that while purchasing is on hold, plans are moving forward to develop facilities that have already been acquired for that purpose. It’s not clear yet whether incoming Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin will change the direction of immigration enforcement and detention.

Border security and immigration remains a top priority for President Donald Trump. But voters gave him poor marks on immigration according to a recent NBC News poll, after DHS surged federal agents into the heart of American cities under former Secretary Kristi Noem.

As of spring 2026, 11 warehouses nationwide have been purchased, according to a tally by NBC News. The cost of the total purchasing plan was estimated at over $38 billion. A DHS spokesperson said: “As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals.” The pause gives Mullin time to review Noem's policies before adapting them, the officials said. The former Oklahoma senator was sworn in last week by Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Oval Office.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/dhs-pauses-plans-buy-warehouses-immigrant-detention-rcna266016