President Trump’s designated “Border Czar,” Tom Homan, expressed unwavering commitment to expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity, stating emphatically, “I’ll be happy once we have 100,000 [beds] because I think that’s the minimum we need, to actually execute the largest deportation operation in American history.” Homan made the comments during an appearance on Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla, where he underscored the urgency of scaling up facilities.
Homan explained that while incremental gains—such as the addition of 1,000 beds through recent state partnerships—are helpful, they fall short of the administration’s broader ambitions. He called for much larger facilities, suggesting that sites with capacities of 3,000 to 4,000 beds, ideally located adjacent to airstrips, would streamline deportation logistics significantly.
His remarks come as part of a growing effort to dramatically expand detention infrastructure. The Associated Press reports the administration aims to increase capacity from approximately 60,000 to 100,000 beds, seeking any space that “meets the detention standards we’re accustomed to”.
Further fueling expansion efforts, an additional $45 billion in ICE funding has been approved, accelerating construction of migrant tent camps and other facilities nationwide. Notable developments include a 5,000-bed camp at Fort Bliss, with projects also emerging in Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey.
Meanwhile, The New Yorker highlights growing frustration within immigrant communities. Despite escalated enforcement, deportation numbers remain modest, undermining Homan’s aggressive rhetoric and raising concerns about the policy’s tangible impact. Critics warn that the emphasis on capacity expansion may exceed actual operational effectiveness.
