The Trump administration seeks to expand its capacity to wage its campaign against immigrants in the United States, this time through the growth of the immigration detention system. Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, was quoted saying that deportation should function “like Amazon, trying to get your product delivered in 24 hours,” according to PBS. This phrasing, while incredibly chilling, is no longer surprising—as the “deportation ASMR” post uploaded to the official White House X account had already revealed the disturbing dehumanization that has become normalized in the administration’s discourse.
Despite the rhetoric and campaign promises, the reality is that ICE is operating beyond its detention capacity, with more people detained than available beds, as several sources reported in March. The administration’s apparent solution is to throw money at the issue—up to $45 billion—even though those funds have reportedly not yet been secured, contracts have already been awarded. Private prison corporations like Geo Group Inc. and CoreCivic have seen their stock rise as a result of the administration’s aggressive deportation and detention campaign. Geo Group secured contracts to detain at least 1,800 people, while CoreCivic obtained a contract to detain “2,400 people in families in Dilley, Texas, for five years,” according to PBS.
Most of the available bed space for immigrant detention is located in Texas and Louisiana—the latter a notoriously carceral state. After lowering criminal penalties in 2017, Louisiana was left with empty jail beds, which state officials were eager to fill through immigration detention contracts, particularly in rural areas where prisons serve as the main economic driver.
Amid this grim reality, many detained individuals—or those at risk of deportation—are turning to an immigration lawyer in Miami for help. Miami, one of the U.S. cities with the highest concentration of immigrants, has become a hub for legal defense in immigration cases. Timely action from experienced immigration lawyers in Miami can be crucial to halt a deportation, file for asylum, or ensure due process for those facing a harsh and expanding immigration system.
Be very careful!
Beware of notaries, immigration consultants or anyone who is not qualified and prepared in these matters. Always seek the advice and services of an immigration attorney for your immigration processes and procedures.