GAO Report Finds Millions Wasted on Trump Detention Expansion

The United States Government Accountability Office reported Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies wasted tens of millions of dollars on ill-conceived plans to expand detention capacity. Following a January 2025 order from President Donald Trump for mass arrests and deportations, ICE received $45 billion through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Secure America Act but lacked a comprehensive strategic plan to manage the funds.

Documented waste includes $2.85 million for tents at Guantanamo Bay that were removed before housing detainees because they failed to meet federal standards, and $20.5 million in utilities and maintenance for warehouses that never housed detainees and are now being sold. In Texas, the government wasted $11.5 million on services at an empty facility and $7.1 million on unnecessary food. In Florida, the agency paid inflated rates for a facility nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, which closed in June 2026 following reports of cramped and unhealthy conditions.

Beyond facility waste, ICE spent $1.5 billion purchasing private facilities and awarded millions in contracts for electroshock gloves and ankle monitors. The detainee population grew from 39,000 in January 2025 to 67,000 by July 30. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has pledged to develop a guiding strategic plan by August 31, 2027, though investigators warned this timeline may be too late to prevent further inefficiency and uninformed decision-making.