Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is opposing a Trump administration proposal to establish a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Mississippi, arguing that the project would harm local economic development.
Wicker has said he supports enforcing immigration law but does not back the Department of Homeland Security's plan to convert a warehouse in Byhalia into a large ICE detention center.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Wicker said the site is better suited to private-sector growth.
"The site is currently positioned for economic development purposes. It represents an opportunity for job creation, private investment, and long-term growth in Marshall County," Wicker wrote.
He warned that "converting this industrial asset into an ICE detention center forecloses economic growth opportunities and replaces them with a use that does not generate comparable economic returns or community benefits."
The senator also raised concerns about the scale and feasibility of the proposed lockup, which would reportedly include more than 8,500 beds. Wicker said such a project would place major demands on local infrastructure and services.
"Detention facilities impose substantial and specialized infrastructure demands — including transportation access, water, sewer and energy costs, staffing, medical care and emergency services," he wrote.
Wicker said the medical and human service infrastructure in Byhalia would struggle to accommodate such a large population increase.
"Establishing a detention center at this site would place significant strain on local resources," he wrote.
He added that constituents have voiced concerns about public safety, medical capacity, and the economic impact of the project.
"Proceeding with this acquisition without adequately addressing these issues disregards community input," Wicker wrote. "I strongly urge ICE to reconsider this acquisition and the development of a detention center in Byhalia."
Wicker could seek to block the proposed site by adding language to the full-year homeland security appropriations bill.
Congressional negotiators are aiming to pass the legislation before Feb. 13, when the current stopgap funding measure expires.
The proposal comes as ICE detention numbers continue to climb.
A recent report from the American Immigration Council said ICE was holding a record 73,000 people in detention centers in mid-January, marking a 75% increase since the start of President Donald Trump's second White House term.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.