Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that the Department of Homeland Security‘s growing use of warehouse-style immigration detention facilities amounts to what she called a “black box system that disappears people,” as federal authorities continue expanding detention capacity across the country.
In a video interview posted on X by MeidasTouch News senior digital editor Acyn Torabi, Ocasio-Cortez said Immigration and Customs Enforcement is rapidly building and converting facilities for said purposes and urged local governments to refrain from greenlighting them.
“We’re seeing what ICE is doing. I think every American should be alarmed,” she said. “They are building and have built a black box system that disappears people, both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.” She added that many warehouse projects require state and local approvals and said communities can push officials to deny permits if they oppose the facilities.
AOC on DHS Warehouses: I think every American should be alarmed. They are building—and have built—a black box system that disappears people, both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. pic.twitter.com/2xuQhxq6T1
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 10, 2026
Her comments come as DHS and ICE increase efforts to acquire warehouses and other large properties to convert into detention centers, citing overcrowding and a rise in arrests tied to the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. Federal data shows more than 75,000 migrants were in ICE custody by mid-January, compared with about 40,000 a year earlier. The number of facilities used for detention has grown to more than 200 nationwide.
DHS has budget authority to significantly expand detention space and has considered converting industrial warehouses to hold tens of thousands of additional detainees, as El Pais points out. Some projects, however, have been delayed or blocked after opposition from mayors, city councils, property owners, and state lawmakers.
New Mexico recently enacted a law barring the use of public property for civil immigration detention, while several cities and counties have revoked permits or passed temporary bans on new facilities. Other warehouse purchases in states including Arizona, Maryland, and Pennsylvania have moved forward.
Concerns have also come from some members of the president’s party. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania wrote to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem over the weekend opposing planned warehouse conversions in his state, saying the projects would “place undue burdens on limited existing infrastructure” and reduce local tax revenue. While supporting enforcement of immigration law, he requested impact assessments, infrastructure guarantees, and public engagement before any conversion proceeds.
Originally published on Latin Times
