ICE warehouse detention plans spark backlash in states with large Haitian communities

Plans by federal immigration officials to convert warehouses into large-scale detention centers are drawing mounting opposition across the United States, including in states home to some of the country’s largest Haitian populations.

The Department of Homeland Security has spent more than $1.07 billion acquiring 11 warehouse properties as part of a broader effort to expand detention capacity. The initiative, launched under former Secretary Kristi Noem, aimed to create tens of thousands of additional beds for detainees. But since Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin took office, the agency has paused new purchases and is reviewing existing contracts.

The pushback has been especially significant in states where Haitian communities are deeply rooted and closely watching immigration enforcement policies that disproportionately affect them.

New Jersey: legal challenge in a major Haitian hub

In New Jersey, home to over 70,000 Haitians, state and local officials have sued the federal government over the purchase of a 470,000-square-foot warehouse in Roxbury.

The lawsuit alleges federal officials failed to notify or consult local authorities, raising concerns about transparency and community impact.

Florida: largest Haitian population, unanswered questions

Florida, which has the largest Haitian population in the U.S. at more than 500,000, has also seen early signs of potential expansion.

In Orlando, federal officials and private contractors toured a large industrial warehouse earlier this year. Local officials say they have yet to receive formal information about any plans.

New York: proposal scrapped amid scrutiny

New York, home to roughly 200,000 Haitians, briefly appeared on the list of potential sites when ICE announced plans to acquire a warehouse in Chester.

Officials later said the announcement was a mistake, and the site is no longer under consideration.

Still, the episode underscores concerns among Haitian Diaspora leaders in New York, where immigration enforcement policies often intersect with housing, labor and asylum systems already under pressure.

Georgia: infrastructure concerns in growing Diaspora state

In Georgia, where the Haitian population has grown to an estimated 40,000, federal officials purchased a warehouse in Social Circle with plans to hold up to 10,000 detainees.

Local leaders raised alarms about water supply and infrastructure. The city went so far as to lock the facility’s water meter, citing concerns that resources could not support a detention center of that scale.

A second warehouse purchase in Oakwood also moved forward without clear communication to local officials.

Indiana: uncertainty after community pushback

Indiana, with a smaller but growing Haitian population estimated at around 13,000, saw early concerns when federal officials toured a warehouse in Merrillville.

The property owner later said it was not negotiating with the government, suggesting community pressure may have influenced the outcome.

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