DHS pauses ICE warehouse purchases to review Noem contracts

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FILE - Exterior view of a warehouse that is the site for a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Williamsport, Maryland. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Homeland Security is reportedly putting a pause on the expansion of its detention facilities. 

Anonymous U.S. officials spoke with several news outlets to say the department is putting a hold on purchasing new warehouses intended to house immigrants as it reviews all contracts signed under former Secretary Kristi Noem. 

NBC News first reported the stoppage, and said that the officials they spoke with stressed the decision may only be temporary. 

ICE detention centers

The backstory:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said the estimated cost for the department’s plan to expand its detention center model was $38.3 billion, and was to be funded through President Donald Trump’s big spending bill passed last year. 

By the numbers:

The plan would boost detention capacity to 92,000 beds by acquiring eight large-scale detention centers and 16 smaller regional processing centers in efforts to better accommodate Trump’s mass deportation agenda. 

RELATED: ICE ramps up deportation push with 92,600 new beds in $38.3B expansion

Local perspective:

As of this article’s publishing, 11 warehouses had reportedly been purchased nationwide in:

• Arizona
• Georgia
• Maryland
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Utah

The other side:

Many neighborhoods and local governments have objected to the centers for various reasons, from moral grounds to operations risking a drain on local resources, such as sewer and water systems.

In many cases, mayors, county commissioners, governors and members of Congress learned about ICE’s ambitions only after the agency bought or leased space for detainees, leading to shock and frustration even in areas that have backed Trump, according to The Associated Press. 

Lawsuits are pending in three of the states. 

What they're saying:

The new Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, who was sworn in last week, was asked about the detention center plan and lack of information in his confirmation hearing, and acknowledged there had been issues. 

"We’ve got to protect the homeland and we’re going to do that," Mullin said. "But obviously we want to work with community leaders."

For context:

Mullin has a background in construction and expanding his family’s plumbing business before representing Oklahoma in the U.S. House and Senate, according to The Associated Press. 

Contracts under review

Meanwhile:

Two senior DHS officials told NBC News the department was pausing plans to buy more of the warehouses. 

And one senior DHS official told The Associated Press that warehouse purchases that were already made were also being scrutinized. 

When asked about reports of the pause, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "as with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals."