The administration of President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of building detention centers for undocumented immigrants at at least ten military bases across the country, according to an internal memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained by National Public Radio (NPR). According to the plan, the initiative would begin at Fort Bliss, a military base near El Paso (Texas), on the border with Mexico, and would extend to other bases in various states such as New Jersey, New York, Utah, and Florida.
The objective of these centers would be to prepare detainees for their deportation, according to the consulted source. The memorandum details a request to the Department of Defense to expand the Army's role in the enforcement of immigration laws, which has generated concern and debate in public opinion.
During a two-month evaluation period, it is contemplated that the facility in El Paso could accommodate up to 1,000 immigrants, with the possibility of increasing this number to 10,000, thus becoming an important center for deportation operations. As of February 9, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had custody of 41,169 immigrants, according to data from the TRAC center at Syracuse University.
Additionally, it has been reported that there are more than 3.7 million pending cases in immigration courts, of which 1.7 million correspond to formal asylum requests, evidencing the complexity and magnitude of the immigration situation in the United States. The controversy generated by this proposal reflects the division of opinions in the country regarding the immigration policies implemented by the current administration.
