Nation’s Largest Immigration Detention Facility to Be Built in Texas

President Trump and the federal government have awarded a Virginia-based logistics company over $1.2 billion to construct the nation's largest immigration detention facility right here in Texas.

Where Will the Detention Center Be Located?

This massive ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention center is set to begin construction at Fort Bliss in El Paso which spans over 1 million acres and includes an airport.

This area at Fort Bliss would then be made into the deportation hub with 5,000 beds in total and will be intended for short-term detention. The expected completion date of construction is September 30, 2027.

What Company is Building the Detention Center?

The $1.26 billion contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics Company from Virginia through a federal program that directs money to small businesses in America. In addition to federal support, the U.S. Army is providing $232 million for the construction, according to a notice from the Department of Defense.

Acquisition Logistics was founded in 2008 by a retired Naval flight officer and specializes in supply chain management, among other technical services, Bloomberg reports.

This is not the first time this company is tied to detention work, as earlier this year, the U.S. Army paid the company $5 million for lodging and other services towards the Texas-Mexico border under the Trump administration.

Concern Over Conditions of Detainees

There has been a rising concern over humanitarian rights in this soon-to-be detention center, especially as it is heavily involving the use of tents as sleeping quarters for detainees.

Some human rights advocacy groups have claimed the current ICE facilities in Florida are failing to meet federal standards. They allege that some people were forced to sleep on cold concrete floors and women had to use toilets in front of the company of men.

Florida denied such cruel treatment to detainees, but it is still a major concern for some entities after the news broke of the massive detention center to be built in El Paso.