GAO Identifies Millions in Unused ICE Detention Expenditures

Why it matters locally: While the GAO report does not specifically name facilities in Texas, the findings on unused detention expenditures and elevated housing rates could have implications for how federal immigration detention is managed in the state, potentially affecting operations that involve agencies like the Harris County Administration Office.

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report detailing millions of dollars in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) expenditures on detention facilities. The report identifies spending on structures that did not house detainees and higher rates paid for some housing. ICE spent nearly $3 million to erect tents at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The agency never used these tents for detainee housing. Additionally, ICE allocated $20 million to maintain purchased warehouses. These warehouses did not house any detainees. The agency is currently in the process of selling these properties. The report also points to elevated rates ICE paid to hold detainees at a facility in Florida. That lockup has since closed, and the GAO characterized its conditions as deficient.