ICE Detention Centers
The United States operates one of the world's largest immigration detention systems, holding an average of 21,200 people on any given day across 25 major facilities with a combined capacity of 25,957 beds.
The majority of detention is operated by private prison companies — a multi-billion dollar industry that profits from immigration enforcement. This page maps every major ICE detention facility.
📊 The Private Detention Industrial Complex
Over 85% of immigration detention beds are operated by private companies — primarily GEO Group and CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America). These companies earned a combined $4.5 billion in revenue in 2023, with immigration detention as their fastest-growing segment.
The economics create a perverse incentive: private detention companies lobby for stricter immigration enforcement because more detainees means more revenue. Both GEO Group and CoreCivic are major political donors and have spent millions on lobbying.
From a libertarian perspective, government-funded private detention combines the worst of both worlds: the coercive power of the state with the profit motive of corporations. Taxpayers fund a system that enriches private companies while detaining people who often pose no public safety risk — many are asylum seekers, visa overstays, or people with decades-old removal orders.
Private vs. Government-Run Facilities
🏢 Private (19 facilities)
Capacity: 22,003 beds
Avg cost: $144/day
Operators: GEO Group, CoreCivic, LaSalle Corrections, MTC
Serious deficiencies: 5 facilities
🏛️ Government (4 facilities)
Capacity: 2,724 beds
Avg cost: $211/day
Operated by ICE/ERO directly
Generally better conditions ratings
🏘️ County/Local (2 facilities)
Capacity: 1,230 beds
Avg cost: $92/day
County jails with IGSA agreements
Lowest per-day cost but variable conditions
All Major ICE Detention Facilities
| Facility | Location | Operator | Type | Capacity | $/Day | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas ICE Processing Center | Pearsall, TX | GEO Group | Private | 1,904 | $158 | Concerns Raised |
| Stewart Detention Center | Lumpkin, GA | CoreCivic | Private | 1,752 | $142 | Serious Deficiencies |
| Adelanto ICE Processing Center | Adelanto, CA | GEO Group | Private | 1,940 | $172 | Serious Deficiencies |
| Port Isabel Service Processing Center | Los Fresnos, TX | ICE/ERO | Government | 1,200 | $198 | Adequate |
| Northwest ICE Processing Center | Tacoma, WA | GEO Group | Private | 1,575 | $165 | Concerns Raised |
| Eloy Federal Contract Facility | Eloy, AZ | CoreCivic | Private | 1,500 | $138 | Serious Deficiencies |
| Krome Service Processing Center | Miami, FL | ICE/ERO | Government | 600 | $212 | Concerns Raised |
| T. Don Hutto Residential Center | Taylor, TX | CoreCivic | Private | 512 | $148 | Concerns Raised |
| Otay Mesa Detention Facility | San Diego, CA | CoreCivic | Private | 1,482 | $155 | Concerns Raised |
| Florence Service Processing Center | Florence, AZ | ICE/ERO | Government | 524 | $205 | Adequate |
| LaSalle ICE Processing Center | Jena, LA | GEO Group | Private | 1,160 | $132 | Serious Deficiencies |
| South Louisiana ICE Processing Center | Basile, LA | GEO Group | Private | 960 | $128 | Concerns Raised |
| Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center | Pine Prairie, LA | GEO Group | Private | 880 | $135 | Concerns Raised |
| El Valle Detention Facility | Raymondville, TX | MTC | Private | 910 | $142 | Concerns Raised |
| Batavia Service Processing Center | Batavia, NY | ICE/ERO | Government | 400 | $228 | Adequate |
| Aurora Contract Detention Facility | Aurora, CO | GEO Group | Private | 1,532 | $152 | Concerns Raised |
| Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility | Elizabeth, NJ | CoreCivic | Private | 300 | $185 | Adequate |
| Folkston ICE Processing Center | Folkston, GA | GEO Group | Private | 750 | $138 | Concerns Raised |
| Webb County Detention Center | Laredo, TX | Webb County | County/Local | 480 | $95 | Adequate |
| Winn Correctional Center | Winnfield, LA | LaSalle Corrections | Private | 1,538 | $118 | Serious Deficiencies |
| Houston Contract Detention Facility | Houston, TX | CoreCivic | Private | 898 | $148 | Adequate |
| Torrance County Detention Facility | Estancia, NM | CoreCivic | Private | 910 | $142 | Concerns Raised |
| Prairieland Detention Center | Alvarado, TX | LaSalle Corrections | Private | 700 | $125 | Adequate |
| River Correctional Center | Ferriday, LA | LaSalle Corrections | Private | 800 | $115 | Concerns Raised |
| Glades County Detention Center | Moore Haven, FL | Glades County | County/Local | 750 | $88 | Serious Deficiencies |
Facility Details & Conditions Reports
The following 6 facilities have been flagged for serious deficiencies by DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), advocacy organizations, or media investigations:
Stewart Detention Center
Serious DeficienciesLumpkin, GA · CoreCivic · 1752 beds
Remote location makes legal access difficult; multiple deaths reported.
Adelanto ICE Processing Center
Serious DeficienciesAdelanto, CA · GEO Group · 1940 beds
DHS OIG found "dangerous overcrowding" and noose-like bedsheets in 2018.
Eloy Federal Contract Facility
Serious DeficienciesEloy, AZ · CoreCivic · 1500 beds
Highest number of in-custody deaths of any ICE facility.
LaSalle ICE Processing Center
Serious DeficienciesJena, LA · GEO Group · 1160 beds
Extremely remote; documented issues with medical care and solitary confinement.
Winn Correctional Center
Serious DeficienciesWinnfield, LA · LaSalle Corrections · 1538 beds
Converted from prison to ICE detention; The Intercept investigation exposed conditions.
Glades County Detention Center
Serious DeficienciesMoore Haven, FL · Glades County · 750 beds
Multiple detainee deaths; ACLU and advocacy groups have called for closure.
Detention by State
Texas and Louisiana dominate immigration detention, together holding over 50% of all ICE beds. The concentration in southern states reflects proximity to the border and favorable political environments for detention.
Deaths in ICE Custody
Since 2003, over 300 people have died in ICE custody or shortly after release. Causes include inadequate medical care, suicide, and use of force. ICE is required to report all in-custody deaths, but advocacy groups argue the actual toll is higher when accounting for deaths shortly after release.
Alternatives to Detention (ATD)
ICE also operates Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs, which use ankle monitors, smartphone apps, and check-ins to track individuals without physically detaining them. ATD costs a fraction of detention while maintaining high compliance rates.
At $4.50/day vs. ~$150/day for detention, ATD programs save taxpayers over 97%. Court appearance rates under ATD are comparable to or better than detained populations. Yet detention continues to expand — largely because private prison companies don't profit from ankle monitors.
Data Sources
- • ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) detention facility lists
- • DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) inspection reports
- • ICE Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS)
- • Congressional Research Service reports on immigration detention
- • GEO Group and CoreCivic SEC filings and annual reports
- • ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and advocacy organization investigations