ICE Detention: Facilities, Population & Costs

The Private Detention Industry

The majority of ICE detention capacity is operated by two private companies: GEO Group and CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America). These companies hold multi-billion dollar contracts with ICE and have faced criticism over detention conditions, medical care, and the inherent conflict of interest in profiting from incarceration. GEO Group alone operates facilities with a combined capacity of over 10,000 beds.

ICE also contracts with county and local jails through Intergovernmental Service Agreements (IGSAs), which account for the largest number of facilities but generally smaller populations. These arrangements are controversial — some localities have ended agreements under pressure from advocates, while others have expanded them as a revenue source.

Detention Length and Due Process

The average detention stay is 58 days, but this average masks enormous variation. People in expedited removal may be detained for just days, while those fighting their cases in immigration court can be detained for months or years. There is no statutory limit on how long ICE can detain someone during removal proceedings, though the Supreme Court has ruled that prolonged detention without a bond hearing raises due process concerns.

The average length of stay has been increasing — from 42 days in FY2022 to 58 days in FY2026. This reflects both policy choices (detaining more people through their full proceedings rather than releasing them) and the immigration court backlog, which means cases take longer to resolve.

Alternatives to Detention (ATD)

ICE also operates Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs, including GPS ankle monitors and smartphone-based check-in apps. These programs are dramatically cheaper — approximately $5-10 per person per day compared to $200+ for physical detention. Critics of ATD argue that compliance rates drop without physical custody, while advocates point out that ATD participants have court appearance rates above 85% at a fraction of the cost.

The tension between detention and ATD reflects a fundamental policy question: how much should taxpayers spend to guarantee that every person in removal proceedings remains in government custody? At $215/day, the current system represents a massive fiscal commitment.

Conditions and Oversight

Detention conditions have been the subject of extensive reporting, lawsuits, and government investigations. ICE detention is civil, not criminal — detainees are not being punished for a crime but held pending immigration proceedings. Yet conditions in many facilities resemble or are worse than criminal jails. Reports have documented inadequate medical care, solitary confinement, sexual abuse, and deaths in custody. DHS's Office of Inspector General has repeatedly found deficiencies in detention oversight.