U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it has acquired new space in federal prisons to house immigrant detainees — more than 1,600 beds.
Because of a “current surge in illegal border crossings” and the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance policy,” ICE entered into agreements with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the agency said Thursday.
“The use of BOP facilities is intended to be a temporary measure until ICE can obtain additional long-term contracts for new detention facilities or until the surge in illegal border crossings subsides,” ICE spokesperson Danielle Bennett said in a statement emailed to NPR.
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